


Paper Moon

by Skaboom



Series: Paper Moon Universe [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, First Son Liam Dunbar, Humans AU, M/M, Prince Theo Raeken, Red White & Royal Blue AU, Rivals to Lovers, Side pairing: Mason Hewitt/Corey Bryant - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:09:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 32
Words: 112,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24113332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skaboom/pseuds/Skaboom
Summary: First Son of the United States Liam Dunbar has nothing but animosity for England's Prince Theo, but when a disastrous interaction at an event leads to a potential "international incident," the two have to fake a friendship for the sake of their countries.
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Series: Paper Moon Universe [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1870912
Comments: 774
Kudos: 543





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is an AU based off of Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.

Being the First Son of the United States wasn't something that Liam had grown up expecting. 

He remembered the small house that he had grown up in, hiding his head under a pillow, trying to drown out the sounds of his father screaming at his mother, screaming himself when it all became too much, and trying to make himself feel comfortable, at home in that little house. He had thought that things would never be good, that they would never be okay, and then? And then his father had walked out, and it had been rough, at first. He didn't understand, at the tender age of 7, why his father was gone. He didn't understand why he didn't see the man anymore, and he wouldn't understand until years later that his father leaving was the best possible thing that could have happened to him.

There weren't bruises on his mother anymore. There weren't screams echoing throughout the house anymore, and that fear of his father darkening his own doorway was no longer present. 

For a few years, it had been him and his brilliant, brilliant mother against the world. She started off running for City Council and blowing the competition out of the water. Her platforms gained attention, and when she ran for Governor, all eyes in California were on her. 

It worked. She gained national attention for her politics, and the attention of a kind doctor, David Geyer. 

At first, Liam was terrified when they moved into the Governor's mansion. It was a far cry from the small home they had used to share, and after the first year, when Dr. Geyer moved in with them, Liam feared the worst. Even at 11 years old, he understood that Dr. Geyer was with his mother, and the only experience he had with what that meant? That had been his father. 

Every night, he lay in bed, waiting for the screaming to start. He waited for the sound of smashing bottles against hardwood floors, but it never came.

Dr. Geyer supported Jenna. He supported her through a second term as Governor, and when a senate seat opened up when Liam was 15, he supported her through that race as well. Jenna won, and all of a sudden, Liam's life changed again. They moved out of the Governor's mansion, as his mother was no longer Governor, and into Dr. Geyer's Beacon Hills home. Liam attended high school, acting as though that was all normal, but his mother was splitting her time between California and Washington DC, and Liam was expected to behave a certain way. His lacrosse games got press coverage from time to time, and his friendship with Congressman Hewitt's openly gay son, Mason, garnered blog attentions, and rumors that he just wasn't prepared for. 

Still, with every duty that she had, with every moment that his mother spent fighting for equal rights, and everything that came with it, she still had time for Liam. When she was away, she called home to check on him, when she couldn't be at his Lacrosse games, she made sure that David could be, and unlike the father that Liam had been born with, David stepped up. He was there, making sure that, every day, he proved Liam wrong about what a father was supposed to be, and by the time Jenna and David got married when Liam was 17, the anxiety left by his biological father in Liam's chest was practically non-existent. In 10 years, he had gone from living in a small home, with fighting, and abuse, to this comfortable home, full of people who loved him. 

People who wanted to make a difference in the world. 

Of course, Liam didn't quite understand just how much of a difference his mother wanted to make until he was home from his Freshman year of college for Winter Break, and his mother told him she was going to be running for President. 

Liam knew that she had hated the current president - a regressive man who cared more about wealth and power than policy, but he had never expected that she would be putting herself in the position to run against him. 

"Someone has to," she had told him. "It might as well be me."

Liam had stared at her, jaw practically on the floor as she told him that David planned to quit his work at the hospital to help her with the campaign, and she already had several people in mind for staff positions.

When she asked Liam if he was alright with it, he knew that it wasn't an empty ask, that she genuinely wanted to know, and though there was something nerve wracking about the whole thing, he couldn't lie. His mother was the best woman for the job. Her policies were progressive, but smart, and she had a way of commanding a room in the best possible way. He had grown into an intelligent young man, more than smart enough to know that the stupidest thing he could possibly do was to tell her that she shouldn't run for the office. 

She hugged him, kissed the top of his head, and from that day forth, nothing was ever the same.

First things first, her Campaign Head, a young, brilliant, seemingly never tiring, recently graduated college student, Mieczyslaw "Call Me Stiles, Everyone Does" Stilinski was at their house. All the time. The young man was constantly talking strategy, and writing down every word that Jenna said. He was at her beck and call, doing whatever the woman wanted, including picking Liam up at the airport when he returned home for Summer break, and taking him to buy suits for the millions of press conferences, dinners, and events, that he was suddenly required to attend. 

The race was brutal. Jenna took the high road, but that didn't mean that her opponent did, and when it came down to a handful of States for the 270 votes needed to take the White House, Mason was rubbing Liam's back as he puked in the bathroom of the hotel they had rented out for the election party.

Somehow, with Congressman Hewitt by her side as Vice President, Jenna Dunbar became the first female president of the United States, and Liam Dunbar the First Son. 

His face was everywhere. He was young, handsome, charismatic, athletic, and his friendship with the incredibly charming and brilliant Mason Hewitt was the talk of the town. Sure, there were dating rumors, but the two of them never let such things get in the way of their friendship. 

Mason was already attending Georgetown, planning on heading straight in his father's footsteps and into politics, and Liam? He didn't want to be so far away from everything else. He transferred from Duke University, where he had been starting on their Lacrosse Team, to Georgetown for his Senior Year. 

Living in the White House while attending his final year of college was a lot, but what was he supposed to do? He was the First Son of the United States now, and the choices that he made? They impacted the whole country...and sometimes the world. He had to be careful about every word he said, every step he took, and suddenly, his friends went from being Lax Bros and old high school friends to the children of politicians, and even some young politicians themselves, including Scott McCall, a young Congressman tirelessly fighting for equality from Liam's home state of California. 

There were the children of politicians and monarchs and figureheads from around the world, and Liam was as charming as possible with all of them. He said the right things, he did the right things, he let the media training (and the scripts that Stiles practically threw into his hands) guide his actions and his words. He was the best possible version of a First Son that he could be. Intelligent, fun to be around, giving coy answers when asked by Teen Vogue about his relationship status, and laughing off rumor after rumor as though they didn't hurt him at all, and for the most part, they didn't. 

Liam had had to learn quickly not to let things get under his skin, and he did his best to make sure that he followed through with that, that he didn't let the wrong things get out. He couldn't show any of the anger that he felt at times (though with the therapy he had received, that was very much in control). He couldn't show the anxiety he felt about all of the weight that was on his shoulders, and he certainly couldn't show the disdain and animosity that he had for Prince Theodore of Wales. Or Prince Theo, as he was known to the masses.

At third in line for the throne of England, Prince Theo was the bane of Liam's existence. He wasn't like the other children of politicians and rulers that Liam had come into contact with. 

Theo was a cardboard cut out of a human being, as far as Liam was concerned. He was stiff, uninteresting, and _uninterested_ in anything Liam said. 

The first time they had met, he had shaken Liam's hand, nodded at him politely, and then leaned into the suited, serious looking man at his side, and whispered "Can you get him away from me, please?"

The man had nodded, ushering Liam away from the prince, and since then, nothing had changed. There was a haughty "too good for you" air about Prince Theo, and Liam hated him.

And what he hated even more? The two of them were constantly pitted against each other, compared to each other. They were both in their early 20s, both the heartthrobs of their respective countries. Both athletic (though for Theo, it was polo and not Lacrosse), both smart, and both chock full of charisma (though honestly, Liam didn't know how Theo managed to get _that_ particular reputation). 

While the press referred to Prince Theo as Liam's English counterpart, Mason referred to Theo as Liam's rival, and Liam?

Liam would rather not refer to Theo as anything at all.

"I have classes to study for," Liam whined from his bed as Mason looked through suits in Liam's closet. Transferring to Georgetown had meant an extra semester, as not all of his credits had made the move as seamlessly as he had, so while Mason had graduated already, Liam was still in school. 

"You'll have plenty of time to study on the plane," Mason said. "I know you don't like Prince Theo, but if you're not there, it will look bad. Really, really bad."

"Ugh, I know." Liam groaned, knowing that Mason was right. Somehow, Mason was always right, and he hated it. He absolutely hated it, but what was he supposed to do about that? Mason was, hands down, the most brilliant person that he had ever met, and there wasn't anything that he could argue with Mason that he could win.

Video games, however, were a different story. Their friendship had to stay balanced somehow. 

"When the royal family throws a massive party for their prince's graduation from Cambridge, _someone_ from the First Family has to attend. Your mother has more important things to do, and you know it always looks better if your stepdad is at her side," Mason explained. "Plus, the world craves you and Theo in the same room."

"I hate the world," Liam complained. 

"Lies." Mason pulled a deep blue Tom Ford suit from the closet. "This one."

"That's the suit I wore to _your_ graduation," Liam pointed out. 

"Exactly." Mason grinned. "We know it's good for a grad party."

"I don't want to go. I don't want to go to England and grovel at Prince Theo's feet!"

"It'll be fine," Mason said. "You'll go, have a couple glasses of champagne, a piece of cake-"

"What do you wanna bet the cake has Theo's face on it?"

"Not a chance in hell," Mason said. 

"At least your coming with me," Liam sighed, flopping back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. 

"Of course I'm coming with you."

"Does this have anything to do with your crush on Corey Bryant?"

"It has everything to do with that." Mason smiled.

Corey Bryant was from a noble English family, and was best friends with Prince Theo...or so the press told it. Honestly, Liam didn't buy that someone as sweet as Corey, someone who had put their whole life into creating and running a humanitarian philanthropic organization from the ground up, could be best friends with the less than charming Prince Theo. 

Then again, everyone else seemed to find Theo charming, so maybe he had managed to fool Corey the way that he had everyone else. Liam wasn't buying it, though. 

"Have you talked to him yet? Ever?" Liam asked.

"Nope." Mason shook his head. "But you're going to introduce me."

"I don't exactly know him," Liam argued. 

"But you have talked to him, so when he's getting something to eat, you're just going to sidle up to him, with me in tow, and say "hey Corey, how's it going? This is my friend Mason, by the way!" Then you're going to spot some dignitary you need to speak to, and away you go."

"Right." Liam frowned at his best friend. "You're using me."

"Oh 100%." Mason grinned. "But seeing as you would be literally completely lost without me, this is, quite literally, the least you could do."

"I hate it when you're right," Liam groaned. 

"I know." Mason smiled. "That just makes me love it all the more."

"Alright, alright," Liam sighed, smiling up at his friend. "I'll be your flight attendant."

"Wingman. For someone as smart as you are..."

"I was joking!" Liam said. 

"Yeah," Mason nudged him gently. "I know."

And if anyone knew Liam Dunbar, well, it was Mason Hewitt. 

"Now, who do you plan on starting rumors with at this thing?"

Since becoming First Son, Liam hadn't had a serious relationship...or even a relationship at all. There had been rumors about him and various starlets, young women that he had met at events, and danced with once, or posed with for a photo. A couple of them he was friendly with, but most had been single meetings blown epically out of proportion by the media.

When his mother was a senator, he had dated Hayden Romero, the spunky daughter of a Capitol Hill lawyer, but they had learned after about a year of trying to make it work that they were better as friends. They still sparked rumors from time to time when they were spotted laughing together in a coffee shop, or cuddled up against each other, half drunk, at an event neither of them had really wanted to attend in the first place, but Liam let those roll off his back. Hayden was too good for him, and they both knew it. 

Since her, there had been women, of course, but they had all been one or two night stands, and each one of them had been reduced to a signature on the NDA that they had to sign before they got anywhere near the White House bedrooms. 

Some of them were Liam's friends, but most of them meant very little to him at all. 

"We'll see who shows up," Liam said teasingly. 

"I've heard rumors that Kira Yukimura is going to be there," Mason said. 

"Kira's gorgeous..." The daughter of a highly important Japanese family, Liam had flirted with Kira once or twice, but it had never really gone anywhere. 

"$50 says you and Kira wind up on the front page of The Star on Monday."

"Yeah?" Liam tilted his head to the side, then reached his hand out. "I'll take that action."

"Sucker."

"Nah. I've got all the power. I'll just stay away from Kira, and bam, problem solved."

"What are you gonna do if she comes over to you?" Mason asked. "And you get all heart eyes?"

"Not gonna happen." Liam said. "I have my heart eyes under control."

"A likely story." Mason rolled his eyes. 

"I'm the First Son of the United States," Liam countered. "I have every single one of my emotions under control."

"As if!" Mason laughed. 

"Okay, okay, I have every single one of my emotions under control _when I'm in public_."

"Okay." Mason nodded. "Fair enough."

Liam smiled smugly, resting back on his bed, blissfully unaware of just how untrue that statement was going to become.

***

As Liam reached for yet another glass of champagne, staring around at the Who's Who of England, and delegates from the rest of the world, he couldn't help but wonder if this was supposed to be the most boring graduation party in the history of the world, or if that was simply an accident. 

Prince Theo had to be the only 21 year old in existence that would have an _ancient_ string quartet as the music for his graduation party, and decorations that were equally dry and boring. The most interesting thing there was the table of exquisite champagne, and the large pile of gifts that Liam was sure Theo wouldn't even deign himself to care about. 

Even the cake, which decidedly did _not_ have Theo's face on it, was boring. The three-tiered white cake with the Union Jack decorated onto it looked more like a wedding cake than anything else, and the fact that the only dancing was a very posh waltz was, in Liam's opinion, disgusting. 

His, or rather, Mason's plan to have a run in with Corey Bryant had proved successful, and now Mason was off talking animatedly with Corey, and Liam was by himself. Kira Yukimura had not shown up, citing an important Japanese event that she was required to attend as the reason. 

Liam had talked to a handful of dignitaries and whatnot, each one driving him back towards the champagne table and yeah, right now, he was drunk. 

He was just about to go find Mason and attempt to drag him off when he saw Prince Theo standing alone by the table of gifts. What kind of fucking asshole Prince spent their graduation party fawning over the gift table _alone_? 

Prince Theo. That was who.

Liam couldn't help himself. The champagne was making him bold, and he couldn't let it go. On his way to the gift table, he grabbed a fresh glass of bubbly, and approached. 

"Fawning over your own gifts, I see," Liam drawled. "How very 'man of the people' of you."

"Ah, I see you've managed to find the champagne just fine," Theo quipped back quietly. "Tell me, does your breath always smell like alcohol, or is it just my lucky day?"

"I don't understand how you can be such a dick, and so beloved," Liam sniped back. 

" _I_ don't understand how you can be such an idiot, and still so beloved," Theo returned. However, he delivered his cutting words while standing up straight, totally poised, not a hint of animosity on his face, lest a passerby pick up on it. 

Liam, on the other hand, was not so poised. He was slightly leaned over, body angled towards Theo's, and there was definitely something of a sneer on his face. 

"Now do us both a favor," Theo said. "And have some water before you do something stupid that, something you're going to regret."

"Like choosing a string quartet to play at my graduation party?" He chided. 

"This is the most famous string quartet in all of England."

"You're the most famous string quartet in all of England," Liam muttered. 

"Charming, truly," Theo said, a slight smile on his lips. 

"You really think you're that much better than me? You think you're sooo much better than me. Well let me tell you, just because you're a prince-" Liam moved forwards to get in Theo's face a bit more, and completely lost his balance.

As he began to teeter, he reached out for Theo's shoulder to steady himself, but rather than succeed, he took them both down, the pair of them toppling into the table of gifts, upending it completely. 

Liam felt boxes crunch under his weight, and heard his champagne glass shatter. When he looked up, Theo was righting himself, brushing himself off, and at second glance, Liam noticed the prince's hand was bleeding.

Flashes went off, and in moments, Boyd, Liam's personal secret service agent was at his side, pulling him up. "Time to go," he said gruffly. 

Liam merely nodded deftly, watching as Erica, another secret service agent, grabbed Mason. 

As drunk as Liam was, he still knew this wasn’t going to end well for him.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam has to face the consequences of his behavior at Prince Theo's party, and learn how to clean up his mess.

"I swear to God!" Stiles looked over at Liam from across the conference table, a stack of magazines and newspapers in front of him. "It was a graduation party! How did you manage to turn it into an international incident?"

"I'm sorry!" Liam said, hungover, and very, very aware that he was in a world of trouble. 

"First Son Tackles Honoree Prince Theo at Graduation Party," Stiles read, tossing one of the papers aside. "Royal Smackdown: First Son Liam Dunbar and Prince Theo of Wales Spark Issue in a Heated Wrestling Match." He sighed, tossing another tabloid down. "Oh, this one's great - this one's from an English beat. 'Violence. The American Way.' And it's just a picture of you looking guilty!" He showed Liam the glossy spread, and sure enough, there was Liam, looking dazed in a pile of ruined gifts as Theo lay sprawled beside him. Bleeding. "They're all like that," Stiles said, lifting up a stack of the papers and glossies, and dropping them with a thud on the table for emphasis. 

"I didn't-"

"I am going to rip out your intestines, and twist them into a little dog. Balloon animal style. I swear to god," Stiles continued. "Do you have any idea how bad this is for your mother's presidency? For international relations with England?!"

"Yes," Liam said miserably. "But-"

"But what? He insulted you? Because by all accounts, you were the one who approached him, you were the one who pulled him down. At his own party, so I don't really care what he said to you, I-"

"Stiles..." Jenna Dunbar walked into the room. 

"Sorry," Stiles sighed, raking a hand through his already messy hair, and reached for his thermos, taking a pull of coffee. 

Liam noticed for the first time that Stiles looked as though he hadn't slept, and a pang of guilt rang through him as he realized that, yeah, Stiles probably  _ hadn't  _ slept. He was too busy trying to figure out how to curtail this particular issue.

As Jenna sat down across from her son, Stiles took a seat as well, pushing the stack of papers away, and looking at the president. 

"Stiles isn't wrong, Liam," Jenna said finally, taking in her son's very disheveled appearance. 

"I know," Liam sighed. "I know, I messed up. Big time. I'm really sorry, I'll call him, I'll issue a formal apology to Prince Theo and the Royal Family, I'll-"

Liam was cut off by Stiles scoffing.

"What?" Liam asked, looking over at him. 

"It's gonna take a lot more than an ‘I'm sorry’ to make this go away," Stiles said. 

"Sweetie, Stiles is right," Jenna said, looking over at him. "Now, I want you to understand that this isn't a punishment, it's just...the best way to do things, okay?"

"What? Punishment?" Liam sat up in his chair, frowning. He had never really fucked up before, at least not like this, not in front of so many people, so he wasn't really sure what the repercussions were going to be. 

"Just..." Jenna sighed and raised a hand up, alerting Liam to the fact that he should probably stop talking. She was disappointed, he could see that, and he felt terrible about it. Well and truly terrible. 

"Sorry." Liam leaned back in his chair, cowed by his mother's word, and expression. 

"I was up all night talking to Prince Theo's equerry," Stiles explained. 

"His what?" Liam asked, brow furrowed. 

"It's like his personal assistant, keeps track of his schedule, helps run his day to day household - basically, Prince Theo's, well, me, but not as cool."

"Right." Liam nodded. 

"Anyways, I was talking to the rest of the staff, so was Mr. Hale - that's Theo's equerry," he explained. "And we decided that the best way to avoid an international incident is to issue a joint statement saying that what everyone saw at the event and in the photos wasn't actually the result of an altercation, but a little playful roughhousing between friends that, fueled by champagne, went a little too far."

" _ What?! _ " Liam said, looking up at him. 

"Yes," Jenna said. "The prince's team has been incredibly gracious about this. It would be easy for them to throw you to the wolves, Liam, and they're not. They want to avoid this as much as we do."

"Theo and I aren't friends," Liam stated. 

"I know that," Stiles sighed. "And you know that, but the world? They don't know that." 

"A public friendship between you and Prince Theo will wash this all away," Jenna continued. "So you're wheels up at the crack of dawn. You'll fly to England, and spend the weekend with the prince."

"What? No!" Liam shook his head. 

"Liam Eugene Dunbar." Jenna's voice was calm and measured, but her eyes were dark as she stared her son down. "You got drunk and accosted a member of the royal family. You _ will  _ make this go away."

"Yes ma'am." Liam gulped. There were times when Jenna was his mom, and times where she had to be the president, and he was smart enough to understand that this was the latter. 

"So, you'll be going to England. Boyd, Erica and their team will accompany you, make sure that you stay safe and are well looked after. You're going to go on a talk show and answer pre-approved questions about your friendship. You'll be dropping by a hospital for a charity event, you'll attend an evening event chosen by the royal family, and we are expecting at _ least _ two social media posts over the course of the weekend," Stiles explained. "By the time you're flying back out Sunday night, your adorable friendship should have washed this whole thing out."

"Okay." Liam nodded. Every part of him wanted to object, but he knew that he was in no position to do so. 

"And just in case anyone tries to catch you in a lie," he said. "Memorize this." Stiles handed over a stapled packet containing four sheets of paper. 

"What's this?" he asked. 

"Prince Theodore Fact Sheet," Stiles explained. "Everything from the names of his immediate family and relations, to his favorite past times, books, things a best friend would know."

" _ Best _ friend?" Liam asked, eyes wide. 

"Well, close friend," Jenna amended. "We're trying to angle this as a friendship that's been going on for awhile. You've been photographed at enough of the same events that it shouldn't be an issue."

"Okay." Liam nodded, flipping through the packet. "Does he have one of these for me?"

"Yes." Stiles nodded. "And believe you me, putting it together was, by far, the most pain inducing moment of my career to date."

Liam couldn't help but snort with slight laughter at that, but one look from his mother shut him right up. 

"I'll memorize this," Liam said. "And it'll be fine."

"It had better be," Stiles warned. "You know what kind of criticism your mother gets every day just for being a woman, divorced, nonetheless, even if her ex husband is a monster." He sighed. "Just...don't fuck this up for her."

"I won't. Can I go now?" Liam lifted the Prince Theo packet. "I have to study."

"Yes." Jenna nodded. "And Liam, sweetheart," she stood up, moving over to him. "I love you. You messed up, but I love you." She pressed a kiss to the top of his head, and walked out of the room. 

Stiles collected all of the newspapers and magazines. "I'm going to have these made into a scrapbook to exhibit just how much I do not love you," he said. 

"You love me," Liam argued. 

"Not right now I don't. Now go on," Stiles shooed him away with one of the magazines. "Get to memorizing."

"Yes, sir." Liam said, standing and heading for the door. 

"That's the right path for getting me to like you again!" Stiles called after him.

As Liam headed back to his room, his eyes caught a portion of the packet. 

**Hobbies: Polo, Competitive Yachting.**

"Oh fuck me," Liam groaned. This was going to be one of the worst weekends of his life. Of that, he was certain.

***

"Okay, okay," Mason took a sip from his beer, and leaned back on Liam's bedroom floor. "Immediate family?"

"Obviously, his mom is Princess Constance, the first member of the royal family with a doctorate in literature," Liam said, folding a shirt and tucking it into his suitcase. "Father was Jonathan Raeken, famous English novelist - a commoner - who died of cancer when Theo was...fuck. Fuck me."

"Sixteen," Mason interjected. 

"I was going to get it!"

"Like hell you were."

"Fine." Liam sighed. "Older sister, Princess Tara, she's ahead of him in line for the throne, and probably the next one to hold it, as Princess Constance hasn't been seen in years, and Theo's grandmother, Queen Eleanor, hasn't shown any signs of stepping down anytime soon."

"Okay, good, you've got a lock on family history," Mason said, turning the page. 

"Favorite food?"

"Ugh. Full English breakfast. Is it as bland as it sounds? Also what the fuck is blood pudding?"

"Beats me," Mason said. "You'll have to ask your new best friend."

"As long as he doesn't make me eat it." Liam sighed, placing another shirt into his suitcase. 

"Favorite book?"

"Uh..." Liam sighed. "Fuck."

"Drink," Mason said, reaching for his own beer and taking a sip. 

Liam did the same, reaching for a bottle that rested on his bedside table, and taking a swig himself. 

" _ Great Expectations _ by Charles Dickens."

"God, at least if you're gonna go Dickens, go with the  _ best _ Dickens."

"Agreed," Mason wrinkled his nose. 

"Seriously, how is anyone gonna believe I'm friends with this guy? He has about as much personality as this beer bottle." Liam paused to take another sip. "Less, actually."

"Okay, yeah, but I mean," Mason propped himself up on his elbows, looking over at his friend. "You don't really know him, though."

"I know enough," Liam said, gesturing to the packet. "I know that he thinks competitive yachting is thrilling."

"Touché." Mason leaned back. "Favorite color?"

"Uh...blue?" Liam tried.

"Pale blue," Mason corrected. 

"Close enough," Liam groaned. 

"How does he take his tea?"

"What?" Liam looked up, shocked. "Are you serious? That's on there?"

"I shit you not," Mason said, tossing the packet at him. 

"No sugar, a splash of milk. I'll be damned," Liam said, lobbing the packet back at Mason. "This guy really has no sense of adventure at all."

***

Liam spent the first half of the flight going over, and over the packet that he had been given. It wasn't a ton of information, but most of it was very, very boring, and it was tricky to get through. 

After all, it wasn't totally easy to get through information on someone you didn't really care about. 

"You read that thing anymore, and it's gonna stop making sense," Boyd said from his seat across from Liam. 

"I know." Liam sighed. "I just don't want to fuck it up."

"I get that." Boyd nodded. "But take a deep breath. There's not going to be a quiz."

"You sure about that?" Liam asked dryly. "I wouldn't be surprised if one of the activities they have planned for us is a How Well Do You Know Prince Theo game show experience."

Boyd snorted with laughter. "You're a smartass."

"I know." Liam nodded. "It's getting me into trouble. A lot of trouble."

"Well, nothing you can't get yourself out of, right?" Erica asked, tilting her head to the side. 

"That's the hope," Liam admitted. 

"You'll be fine," Erica encouraged. "Just don't let him get to you."

"I never let him get to me," Liam said, but even as the words left his mouth, he knew they were a lie, and judging by the knowing looks on Boyd and Erica's faces, they knew too.

They were just too good to say anything about it. 

Still, with Boyd's suggestion, Liam set the paper down and closed his eyes, trying to get a little sleep before they landed, and he had to fake everything. Hard.

When the plane touched, and Liam de-boarded, he was met almost instantly by a familiar face, though it was not that of Prince Theo. 

"I'm Derek Hale, the prince's equerry," he held his hand out for Liam, and each member of his team, to shake. 

Liam remembered him instantly as the man that Theo had asked to get Liam away from him when they had first met. Now, he looked a bit older, perfectly manicured facial hair adding only a slight edge to his immaculate Brooks Brothers suit. 

"We have a car for the use of your team just there," he said, gesturing to a shiny black SUV, and handing Erica the keys. "Now, Mr. Dunbar, if you wouldn't mind following me, we can go pick up Prince Theodore."

"Pick him up?" Liam asked. God, he couldn't even deign to meet him at the air strip?

"Yes. He's at the stables, you two will have your reunion there, and then travel back to the palace together, come along."

"...Okay then." Liam sighed, watching as Derek gestured for some of the men with him to help put Liam's things into the car. He found himself ushered into the limousine, and Erica, Boyd, and their team climbed into the SUV, following behind them. 

Derek sat on the other side of the long seat, looking through an iPad as the car started moving.    
  
“Here,” Derek said, reaching into a binder and pulling out a document.    
  
“What’s this?” Liam asked, taking it.    
  
“Run of the mill NDA - sorry, non-disclosure agreement.”   
  
“I know what an NDA is,” Liam snarled.    
  
He began looking the document over, and it was a little more than standard. It was ironclad, and he was barred from saying just about anything about, well, any of it. He wasn’t even permitted to take detailed photos of the palace to share them. It went over every aspect from being unable to disclose any information learned about the wealth of the royal family, to being unable to share anything seen on the personal devices of any member of the royal family, or their staff.    
  
It was so intense that Liam got the impression that, if he so much as looked at Derek’s iPad for the time, and shared that on social media, they’d have him thrown in a dungeon, or locked in some iron maiden in a tower somewhere.   
  
Still, he knew that he didn’t have a choice, and he signed the document.

"You'll have your own apartments at the palace," Derek explained. "We've stocked them with the list of favorite foods that your camp sent over, so that should serve you just fine. As this is all for show, you won't be taking any meals with the royal family, but food will be sent to you."

_ Of course not, _ Liam thought.  _ They wouldn't dare lower themselves to eating with me. _

"Fine by me," Liam said. After all, the less time he had to spend with Prince Theo, the better.

"Tomorrow, the two of you will appear on  _ English Breakfast _ together. We have sent them a list of pre-approved questions, so they won't be digging into your friendship, not too deep, at least. I trust you can pretend to like my charge for an hour at a time?"

"Yes." Liam sighed. "I'm not an idiot."

"Right." Derek nodded, but didn't say anything else, and Liam got the distinct impression that Derek did, in fact, think that Liam was an idiot.

And honestly, after the way he had behaved at Theo's graduation party, Liam couldn't really say that he blamed him. 

"After _ English Breakfast _ , you'll go to the children's hospital to drop off books that Theo is donating. You'll stay long enough to read a book or two, shake some hands, and then be on your way."

"Got it." He nodded. 

"Tomorrow night, the two of you will be photographed going to the theater together," he said. "The following morning, you'll accompany Theo to the stables for a ride-"

"I'm afraid of horses!" Liam interjected. 

"Well, you should have thought of that before pushing the Prince of Wales into a table of gifts at his own party and embarrassing him internationally," Derek replied coolly.

Liam opened his mouth to object, but there really wasn't any way to do so. After all, the other man did, in fact, have a point. A really good one, nonetheless. 

"Anyways, once you've completed your time at the stable, you'll go back to the palace, presumably for lunch. You can shower, pack your things up, and then Prince Theo will be seen piling into the limo with you to escort you to your plane. Does this seem agreeable?"

"Do I have a choice?" Liam asked. 

"No." Derek shook his head with a smile. "None whatsoever."

"Then it's agreeable," Liam said. And it was, he supposed...though he wasn't thrilled about the idea of getting on a horse. Especially not with Theo just watching, waiting for him to make a mistake so that he could lord over him just how much better he was. 

Liam had already been sure that this weekend would not be fun, that it was one of duty, but god, did that evil fucking prince have to twist the knife at every possible turn?

He didn't understand why Theo didn't like him, but it didn't really matter, considering the dislike was mutual, and growing even more so by the minute.

When the car arrived at the stable, Liam didn't want to get out of it. He was tired from getting up at an insane hour to get on the plane in the first place, and now that he was going to have to go out there and pretend that he was best friends with someone that he disliked? It was not his idea of a good time, but he knew that he had to do it. He understood that he had gotten himself into this position, and that he was not the only one being impacted by it. It was up to him to save face, not just for himself, but for his mother as well. 

She would do the same for him, he knew that. She had always done what was best for him, and in turn, he had always tried to do what was best for her. 

"There are photographers waiting to 'candidly' catch your reunion," Derek said as the car parked at the royal stable. "So make sure you look like you're happy to see him?"

"Will do," Liam said. 

There would be cameras, and Liam couldn't help but feel a little smug at the fact that they would be catching Theo after polo practice. He would be undoubtedly sticky and sweaty, his hair plastered to his face from his helmet, and his clothes at least a bit rumpled from the ride, and Liam? Well, he had had time in the car to make sure that he looked his absolute best. At least he could one-up Prince Theo in that manner. 

"Follow me," Derek said. 

It wasn't a choice, nor a request, but an order, and it put Liam off a bit, how Theo's staff felt the right to boss Liam around, but what could he do about it? If he balked, or pitched a fit, it would only make things worse, and that was the opposite of what he was trying to do here.

He followed Derek, who moved at a very brisk pace, through the stables, and the groan that he tried to keep back was nearly audible as he saw Prince Theo walk towards them. 

Unlike he had hoped, Prince Theo was not rumpled and sticky at all.

As Theo walked towards him riding helmet under one arm, he looked so frustratingly  _ not _ unkempt that Liam almost turned around to head back to the car. His hair was tousled from the helmet, but in that appealing, effortlessly handsome way that made Liam want to punch him in the face, and his clothes, while not fresh and pressed, were far from wrinkled and ruined. 

"Ah, Liam, it's lovely to see you again," Theo said, a bright smile on his face. Hell, his greeting was so warm it was almost convincing, but the glint in his eye as he held his hand out to shake it told a different story.

"Hey, I don't like this anymore than you do," Liam said with his fake, "for the camera's" smile. 

"Well, we wouldn't be here if you hadn't felt the need to make an idiot of yourself at my party," Theo said, still playing his charm up for the camera. 

Theo was so good at being fake, it simultaneously drove Liam insane, and proved everything he already believed about him - that everything about him was for show and he was, indeed, merely a cardboard cut out of a human being, dressed up for whatever occasion it was being thrown into. 

"Get absolutely fucked," Liam retorted. 

"Oh, no, I insist, you first."

And with that, they threw their heads back, faking a joyful, amiable laughter. 

This was going to be the longest 41 hours of Liam's life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for continuing with me to my second chapter, I really hope that you enjoy it!


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam spends his first night in Kensington palace, and it is not what he expects.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the most reader interaction I have received on a Thiam story, and I'm really, really grateful for everyone that is reading this! I hope that I keep making it fun for y'all to read!

The car ride back to Kensington palace was dead silent. Liam didn't have anything to say to Prince Theo, and apparently, that sentiment was mutual. 

Derek led Theo away once they were back, and Liam was shown to his apartments and left alone. He had plenty of space, and a comfortable looking bed, but there was something cold and unfeeling about the rooms. It was more like trying to sleep in a museum than it was an actual guest room, and as he was looking around the fully stocked kitchen, preparing a small meal for himself, he felt oddly alone. 

Sure, Liam spent plenty of time by himself, but when he was at the White House, there were always people everywhere if he needed something, or Mason was just a phone call away, but Mason would probably be busy with work right now, and Liam? He was on his own. 

He ate his meal in the kitchen while scrolling through **Politico** on his phone.

He was startled when his phone rang as he was cleaning up his meal. 

"How's it going?"

"Stiles?" Liam sighed. "You don't have to check up on me, you know."

"Oh, you bet your ass I do!" Stiles said. "You're just lucky that your mom pulled the plug on me going with you."

"Oh god. That was an option?" Liam asked. 

"Yup. So, how's it going?"

"It's fine, Stiles. I told you, I have this under control, I'm going to be so good, that no one will be the wiser."

"Your little greeting at the stable has certainly made some headlines, keep up the good work, buddy." Stiles paused. "Look, I know I was hard on you, but-"

"It's fine," Liam said quickly. "It's absolutely fine."

"Okay. Just hang in there. I know he's not your favorite guy, but we all have to do things we don't like for the greater good sometimes."

"I might punch you for the greater good," Liam quipped. 

"Personal good does not equate greater good," Stiles reminded him. 

"Might punch you for my personal good, then," Liam teased. 

"Point taken. Hanging up now." 

But Liam could hear the smile in Stiles' voice as he said his final words, so he didn't feel all that bad about it. 

Liam was stunned by how _quiet_ this place seemed. The White House was always bustling with people and noise, but this palace? It was silent. Hauntingly so. He knew that none of the royal family lived on this floor, but his own team, and some of the Royal staff were staying there. He was impressed with how utterly silent they all seemed to be, but at the same time, it felt so disconnected, like anything could happen to him down here, and no one would notice. 

Then again, maybe that was a part of why it was so silent. It was so secure that no one at all could get to him. Liam wasn't sure he had ever been this isolated in his life, let alone recently, and there was a part of it that almost felt good, but an equal part that felt crushing and anxiety inducing. 

To avoid being alone with his own thoughts, he turned on the TV, flipping through the English channels until it was late enough, nearing midnight, that Mason would be done with work and either home, or heading home. 

"Hey there!" Mason's voice came in crackly through the phone, and Liam could tell that he was driving. 

"Hey."

"So, how's the palace?" Mason asked. 

"Eerie. It's quiet. They gave me like, my own whole section of it, and it's like....you know like Monticello and stuff, when you go into the houses and they have the rooms replicated exactly the way they were when the presidents lived in them?"

"Yeah..."

"It's like that. Like I'm in some room that hasn't been updated since 1782. I'm waiting for ghosts to start coming through the walls at any moment."

"That is...downright terrifying. I doubt even Boyd and Erica know how to protect you from ghosts."

"Yup," Liam said, popping the 'p' on the end of the word. "I'm starting to think that this was their plan all along. Lure me here under friendly pretense, only to have me murdered by ghosts."

"Well that's a touch dramatic, don't you think?" Mason asked. 

"These people eat blood pudding. I wouldn't put anything past them."

"You don't even know what blood pudding is. Stop judging. Show me the creepy room."

"See, that's another creepy thing!" Liam said. "I'm not allowed to. They had me sign this _insane_ NDA. I'm pretty sure if I so much as _breathe_ on Theo, they're going to have me locked away in some torture dungeon for the rest of my life."

"Kinky," Mason said with a laugh. 

"You're missing the point."

"Well, I don't know, maybe he has a kid or something," Mason said with a shrug. "And now that you're living in the palace, they're worried you'll hear it's tiny footsteps, and spill all about it to the press."

"Huh." Liam lay back on the pillows of the bed, amused by the thought of perfect, perfect Prince Theo having an illegitimate child running around. "That would make sense, I mean, he's a Prince, so I'm sure women probably throw themselves at him..."

"And he's not exactly hard to look at," Mason supplemented. 

"Who's side are you on here?" Liam asked, incredulous.

"It is an objective fact!" Mason said. "It's not like only you or Theo can be handsome! You're _both_ handsome."

"Fine." Liam sighed. After all, he sort of did have to hand it to Mason - Theo _was_ objectively, a handsome guy. 

Frustratingly so. 

"Sucks, though, because if he _does_ have a kid, or like...a secret torture dungeon, you can't tell me anything!"

"I know." Liam laughed. "But trust me, nothing even close to that interesting has happened yet. It's so boring. I'm just...hanging out by myself, waiting for someone to come and tell me that it's time to go on their version of _Good Morning America_ and play buddies with Prince Theo."

"I cannot _wait_ to get a hold of that interview tape."

"I hate you."

"You love me."

"When I get back, you are taking me out for every single beer we can find."

"Deal." Mason smiled. "I'm almost home, though, so try and hang in there, okay?"

"I will." Liam nodded, sighing.

"Do you want me to call back once I'm settled in?" Mason asked. 

"Oh, no, no, it's late here, I should at least be trying to get to bed, you know...I don't want to have bags under my eyes for _English Breakfast_ tomorrow. I don't want to give His Royal Headache the satisfaction."

"Your pettiness is going to be the death of you," Mason said. 

"Only if Theo doesn't kill me first."

"Or the ghosts!" Mason reminded. 

"Didn't you have to go?" Liam laughed. 

"Love you too, Li," Mason said, both boys laughing as they hung up. 

Liam turned off the light, and sighed, lying back in his bed, but sleep wasn't coming. He tossed and turned, throwing the pillows around to try and get more comfortable, but he couldn't find the right position, and his mind was racing. 

He was used to sleeping in beds that weren't his. He traveled all the time with his mother, but this? This was different. 

He was still tossing and turning at 2 AM, thanks to a combination of time differences, and the general oddness of the situation when he heard a door opening. 

Liam shot up in bed, looking around. Boyd and Erica were on this floor, and even if they weren't, this was Kensington Palace. He was safe here. Despite his jokes with Mason, he didn't think that Theo and the royal family _actually_ meant him any harm. 

As the initial shock of the sound in the otherwise quiet night wore off, he got out of bed and turned a light on. He pulled a sweatshirt over his bare chest, and walked towards the kitchen in his boxers and hoodie. 

Liam wasn't sure what he was expecting to see, but it certainly wasn't Prince Theo, dressed down, and standing in front of the fridge, earbuds in. 

Liam cleared his throat, but whatever Theo was listening to was apparently loud enough to block the sound out. 

"Hey!" Liam said, definitely a little louder than necessarily, relishing the way that Theo jumped, turning to face him.

"Good Christ!"

Liam was pretty sure that this was the first time he had ever seen Theo caught off guard, and frankly, he _barely_ looked like the prince that Liam was used to seeing. 

Gone was the perfectly coiffed hair, and completely clean shaven face. He wasn't dressed head to toe in Burberry that looked like it had come straight from a runway in Milan, and gone was the perfect posture and expression of unwavering steadiness. 

Instead, Liam was now face to face with a truly rumpled Prince Theo. His hair was messy, and not in that effortlessly handsome way. There was a hint of stubble on his chin, and his eyes looked tired. He was barefoot, and wearing nothing more than a pair of blue and green plaid pants and a very soft looking oversized grey Henley. 

He looked...human. For the first time since Liam had met him, Prince Theo looked human. 

"What are you doing here?" Liam asked. "Have you come to steal from your guest, or do they not have food in the rest of the palace?"

"I thought you would be asleep." Theo said. "I just..." he gestured at the fridge, or rather, Liam supposed, the freezer. "Cornettos?"

"Bless you?" 

Theo sighed heavily and opened the freezer, pulling out a box of pre-packaged ice cream cones, and showing them to Liam.   
  
"I was out, and I knew they'd have you stocked up down here."

" _Oh_ , Drumsticks," Liam smiled. 

Theo looked absolutely baffled. "Americans," he muttered. 

"Hey, you eat blood pudding for breakfast," Liam countered. 

Theo opened his mouth as though he were about to say something, before closing it again. 

Liam leaned against the wall of the kitchen, looking entirely too pleased with himself. 

"Well?" Theo asked, his tone impatient. 

"Well what?"

"Can I have one?"

"Can you-" Liam paused, then realized what was happening. These ice cream cones technically belonged to Liam, and Theo was asking if he could have one.

Every single ounce of Liam wanted to say no, wanted to stand there, and watch the look on Prince Theo's face as he was denied something as basic as an ice cream cone, but he knew better. This was challenging enough already, the two of them thrown together, pretending to be friends. If he told Theo that he couldn't have an ice cream, well, it would be a level of pettiness that even Liam hadn't reached before. There was no way that he could eat the whole box before he left for the States, so it would be pure and utter denial for the sake of denial. 

And then, of course, there was the small part of Liam that knew that all of this was _his_ fault, that he was the one that had turned Theo's party into an international spectacle. 

Liam didn't feel like he owed him all that much, but one ice cream cone should be plenty. 

"Yeah, go ahead," Liam said. 

Theo opened the box, and was just about to take one of the cones out, when Liam stopped him. 

"Wait, hold on."

"Look, if you want to taunt me-"

"It's not that," Liam said. "Just wait here, okay?"

"Fine." Theo sighed, setting the box down on the counter. 

Liam ducked back into the bedroom, returning with his phone. He walked over to where Theo was, and took an ice cream cone out of the box. 

"Well go on," Liam said, waving his hand at the box as he unwrapped his own cone. 

Theo, still confused, did the same, unwrapping the frozen treat. 

Liam hopped up on the counter behind him, holding his ice cream in one hand, and his phone in the other. 

"Smile for the world," he said, holding the phone out in front of both of them, big smile in place on his own face. 

"What? No!" Theo shook his head, one hand going to his hair to try and smooth it in place. 

"No, hey, stop that!" Liam kicked him - gently, but still kicked him. 

"What in God's name is it with you and physically assaulting me?" Theo asked, frowning. 

"Oh my god, you're so dramatic," Liam said, rolling his eyes. "I didn't assault you!"

"You tackled me at my own party, now you've kicked me..."

"I didn't tackle you, I fell into you. There's a difference. Now just shut up and smile for the camera. Think of how believable this will be? Every photo call that your team has set up? That's going to look like a publicity grab, but two boys in their PJs, with tousled hair, eating ice cream in the middle of the night? That's going to scream friendship as much as you scream for ice cream."

Liam watched Theo as the other man contemplated what was being said.

"Fine." Theo didn't admit out loud that Liam had a point, but he did lean in to the camera frame, putting that classically handsome Prince Theodore smile on his face, ice cream raised up to his lips as though he was about to take a lick. 

Liam snapped the picture, and then opened Instagram. He added a quick filter, and tagged @HRHPrinceTheodore. His fingers flew over the keyboard as he typed the caption.

**It may not be the cure for jet lag, but when you've only got a weekend to hang, nothing hits the spot like late night ice cream with a good buddy!**

He posted it to his page, and set his phone down on the counter, more than pleased with himself. Moments later, he heard a chime from Theo's phone, but the prince didn't bother to check it. 

Liam was sure that likes and comments were already pouring in, and there was a part of him that felt a little smug about that. He was good at this part of being the First Son, the social media aspect of it. 

Hell, Liam being marketable was a huge help to his mother's campaign, and his very public friendship with Mason had certainly not hurt. They had been able to rally young voters in a way that the children of previous candidates had not, and he was keeping it up now. If he was going to have to make social media posts about his time spent with Prince Theo, he was damned well going to do a good job of it.

"Have you thought about what you're going to say tomorrow?" Theo asked. "On _English Breakfast_?"

"Of course," Liam said, offended at the thought that he may just run into this without any preparation. 

"You don't have to be so defensive, I was just asking a question," Theo stated, taking a lick of his Cornetto as though the treat weren't one of the most bland sweets in existence. 

"Whatever." Liam rolled his eyes.

"Do you think we should, I don't know, go over it? Practice a bit?"

"What?" Liam was genuinely surprised by that. "You want to practice?"

"Well, yes." Theo nodded. 

"You know, maybe if you didn't script out every little aspect of your life, you wouldn't come across so uptight and robotic."

"And maybe if you thought about what you said and did a bit more, we wouldn't be in this situation at all, hmm?" Theo fired back. 

Well, the prince had him there. 

"I just think if it sounds too rehearsed...it's like the photo," Liam said. "If every hair is perfectly in place, and every word perfectly selected, where is the room for the connection? For the organic chemistry?"

"We haven't got any organic chemistry," Theo said bluntly. "Isn't that sort of the problem?"

"You know what I mean," Liam said, rolling his eyes. "If we're going to sell this ruse to the world, we need to be able to at least _fake_ organic chemistry."

"If we fake it, it's not organic," Theo pointed out. 

"God, you are hands down the most infuriating person alive," Liam said. "I know that you know what I mean!"

"I'm not even the most infuriating person in this room," Theo reasoned. "So that's a no to rehearsing?"

"Yeah, that's a no," Liam said, greatly annoyed with the prince. 

"Great, well then, I'll just..." he gestured towards the door. 

"See ya." Liam put the box of ice cream cones back in the freezer and headed back to his bedroom, letting Theo turn off the light and take his leave. 

It wasn't until he was back in the bed, checking the myriad of notifications flooding his Instagram that it dawned on him. Prince Theo had been home all week. He wasn't jet lagged, he had simply been _awake_ at two in the morning. 

Liam thought, as he set his phone on the bedside table, that maybe they _did_ have something in common, other than family in positions of power. He knew what it was like to not sleep much - he was a champion of it.

With school, and all of his duties as the First Son, and his constant worries that he would fuck up and somehow cause a controversy for his mother (very similar to the one that had landed him here), there were many nights where Liam found himself wide awake at horrible hours of the night. 

This life was new to Liam, he hadn't grown up in the spotlight - in fact, he was pretty sure that his entire childhood home could fit into the apartments he was staying in right now, and he had just assumed that, because Theo had had all of this since birth, that it came easy to him. 

Maybe, he thought, resting his head on his pillow and closing his eyes, attempting to get at least a little rest, he was wrong about that. Maybe Prince Theo _did_ feel some of the pressures, some of the crushing weight of constantly being in the spotlight. 

Maybe Prince Theo was just better at hiding it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for continuing to read!


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam and Theo embark on their first day as "best friends" in the public eye, including a talk show interview, and a surprisingly revealing trip to a children's hospital cancer ward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> xtarmanderx.tumblr.com made a wonderful aesthetic board for this story, and you can find it on my tumblr page - purplehoodiesandleatherjackets.tumblr.com - in the Paper Moon tag. I don't know how to link stuff on AO3. Anyways, I hope that you continue to enjoy the story!

His poor night's sleep and a breakfast made by the palace kitchen left Liam feeling deeply unsatisfied. He didn't understand who the fuck wanted bland baked beans for breakfast, and more than that, why _ anyone  _ would want a sausage made from congealed blood. It had left an odd feeling in his stomach; a turning that intensified as he met up with Prince Theo at the car, and saw that he looked immaculate. 

Gone was every possible trace of the Theo that Liam had seen last night (or rather, very early this morning) in the kitchen, and in his place, stood the poised, perfect Prince Theo that Liam was used to. 

His hair was perfectly soft and tamed, and his black slacks tailored perfectly to his form. Liam was certain that they had been made just for the prince, and knowing Theo, they were probably designer, as were the shiny black shoes, and the blue button up that Liam hated to admit brought out the prince's eyes. 

The guy was just objectively and frustratingly handsome. He didn't look tired at all, and Liam?

He didn't normally feel underdressed in a button down and khakis, but looking at Theo, he certainly felt that way now. Sure, a team of people had probably styled Theo this morning. Someone had probably used creams, and possibly even makeup to get rid of the bags under his eyes that had been present at two in the morning, and someone else had probably done his hair, shined his shoes, found the perfect belt to go with his trousers. 

It was infuriating. 

Self consciously, Liam smoothed down his forest green shirt, and got into the back of the car. Theo stepped in carefully after him, not so much as wrinkling a stitch of fabric from his outfit. 

From the front seat, Derek handed Theo a pill, which the prince took wordlessly, swallowing it with a sip from a bottle of water he pulled out of the seat pocket in front of them. 

Liam opened his mouth to ask, but closed it moments later, feeling as though, perhaps, it was better if he didn't know.

The ride to the studio for their televised interview wasn't too long, and Liam was grateful for that, because riding next to Theo in the car was irritating. Theo sat straight up, showing no interest whatsoever in talking to Liam, and really, that was fine. 

He didn't want to talk to Theo anyways.

He did wish, however, that he could be in the car behind them with Boyd and Erica. At least they were nice to him. At least they treated him like a person, and not a lowly peon, and Liam couldn't believe that he had felt sorry for Theo last night, even for a moment. 

They both received minor touch ups for TV - Liam more so than Theo, as the prince had practically stepped out of the palace camera ready. Liam was able to curb his own annoyance with that by telling himself that Theo didn't wake up like that. He knew that now, for a fact, and there was a modicum of pleasure in it. 

The hosts of the show, Fran and Roger, were incredibly kind, and the interview went off without a hitch. They asked Liam his favorite things about England, and he made sure to mention Theo along with the other things that had been in the file that Stiles had given him. 

Theo spoke about their friendship so convincingly that, had Liam not been  _ present _ at their first meeting, he would have believed himself that it (or at least, the version of it that Theo told) would have been the start of a beautiful friendship. 

It was clear that the royal family had the media, or at least this particular station, completely under their control. They didn't ask anything that Theo and Liam weren't prepared for, and by the time the cameras stopped rolling, Liam was sure that the world had to at least be starting to buy their friendship.

On the way out of the studio, Liam snapped a picture while Theo's back was turned. 

**My first time on an English talk show! If you missed us live, make sure to catch me and my pal @HRHPrinceTheodore when it's uploaded online!**

He posted the photo to his Instagram, and headed back towards the car. Boyd and Erica, paired with several of Prince Theo's PPOs, flanked them as the flash bulbs from the paparazzi went off. 

Both boys waved to the cameras, and Liam even threw an arm around Theo, smiling as though they were the best of friends. 

The smile faded instantly, however, as they got into the car, and Theo stiffened right back up again. 

The prince had been so relaxed on camera, but now he was back to being the robotic Theo, and Liam hated it. It was like being seated next to a life sized doll. 

"Alright," Derek said from the front seat. "It's straight to the children's hospital to donate the books, and do some reading, and after that, it'll be back to the palace for lunch, and down time before the theater tonight."

"Excellent," Theo said, though no part of him exhibited any level of excitement whatsoever. 

"Absolutely dandy." A frustrated sigh escaped Liam as he leaned back in his seat, resting his head against the window of the car. 

"I'm not enjoying this anymore than you are, Liam," Theo said, staring straight ahead, not looking at the other man. 

"Oh, trust me," Liam scoffed. "I'm aware."

"This is  _ your _ fault, Liam," Theo said, finally turning to him. "You realize that, right?  _ You _ got drunk at my party.  _ You  _ knocked us into that table. Not me. You." 

There was something in Theo's eyes that Liam had never seen before, and it made him want to shrink back into the tiniest corner of this car, and hide. 

"If you had just held your liquor, and played the congratulatory party guest, we wouldn't have to be doing any of this. I would be delivering these books by myself, and you would back across the ocean firing off guns or whatever it is you Americans do for fun."

Liam was speechless as Theo turned back around, staring directly ahead of him once again. 

"I don't fire guns for fun," Liam said. Instantly, he wished that he could reach out and take those words back. 

He was sick and tired of sounding stupid in front of Prince Theo, and he had just done it again.

It felt like an eternity before the car pulled up in front of the hospital, and while they waited for their security teams to get ready, Theo turned to Liam.

"Do try and act like you like me," Theo said as the door opened.

The prince stepped out of the car, followed by Liam, and it was amazing how the tension just melted right off of Theo. No one would be able to tell that just minutes ago, he was reading Liam the riot act in the back seat of their car. He slung his arm around his American counterpart, and smiled wide for the cameras, and loyal subjects who were there to greet him. 

Liam couldn't help but snort with laughter as, while they walked to the entrance of the hospital, he saw a sign in the crowd that read  **HAVE MY ROYAL BABIES, PRINCE THEO!**

Instantly, his mind went back to what Mason had brought up last night.  _ Did  _ Theo have a kid in the palace? Was that what kept him up into the wee hours of the morning? How had that thought not crossed his mind before? 

As they entered the children's hospital, Theo's staff carrying the boxes of books to be donated, he couldn't help but wonder if that was what Theo was hiding, or whether there was something else. 

Liam had never seen Theo around children, but as the kids from the cancer ward gathered around them to be read to, Liam could tell that he was a natural. It wouldn't surprise Liam at this point, if Theo was a father. Not with the way he was with these kids.

"Hello, all," Theo said with a smile, the book resting in his lap. 

"Hello, Prince Theodore!" Came the chorus of small voices. 

"Ah, well, since we're all friends here," he said with a smile. "Why don't you go right ahead and just call me Theo, alright?"

There was an array of gasps and wide eyed "ahhs" as the children around them processed the idea of being friends with a prince, and Liam couldn't help but smile. 

"Now, do any of you know who this is?" He asked, gesturing to Liam. 

"Oh, oh!" A little boy raised his hand. "He's the American that shoved you!"

Theo didn't even hesitate before he began to laugh, and Liam couldn't help but join him. Was it fake? Was it real? Honestly, Liam was having trouble telling. 

That was just how good Theo was at pretending. 

"Well, yes, that's technically true - what was your name?"

"Finn," the little boy said proudly. 

"Well, Finn, that's only part of the story - yes, Liam did topple the table with me, but it wasn't malicious - do you ever rough house with your friends?" Theo asked. 

"Yes. And my brother. Mum says if we're not careful, one of us will get hurt."

"And she's very correct - that's exactly what happened with me and Liam, we were just playing around a bit, and next thing you know, we were on the ground."

"So it was an accident?" A little girl asked. 

"Completely. It's just...a part of being friends." Theo looked back at Liam, as though waiting for him to interject. 

"Absolutely," Liam said, honestly still astounded by how easy it was for Theo to lie. 

"Now, Liam isn't just my American friend," Theo explained. "He's the son of the President of the United States, which is sort of the same as being a prince."

Another chorus of "ooohs" and "aahhhs" escaped the children as their gazes shifted from Theo to Liam. 

"But at any rate, now that that's cleared up, what we're really here for..." Theo grinned, holding up the book. "Shall we carry on with story time?"

The children watched Theo, their eyes glued to him as he read from the story book. His voice was animated, and he even did different little voices for all of the animals. The children were so enraptured by Theo's story telling that none of them seemed to notice the cameras going off around them, and frankly, Liam couldn't blame them. 

He hardly noticed, either. 

"Prince Liam, are  _ you  _ going to read us a story, too?" One of the little girls asked once Theo finished, looking up at him with big eyes. 

"Oh, I..." Liam looked to Theo, who nodded. "Of course." Liam smiled, selecting a book from the pile.

This wasn't Liam's first rodeo. He did things like this all the time back home, and as it turned out, reading books to sick children in England was very similar to reading books to sick children in America. 

Sure, they didn't all hang on his every word quite the way they had with Theo, but they were paying attention, and they all clapped politely when the story was finished. 

Liam was sure that the children had all been spoken to before the pair of them had arrived, that they had been given some sort of crash course in how to behave while the prince was visiting, but it was still very nice. 

Once they had each read a story aloud, they divided up, going to speak to children individually. The photographer switched between them to take photographs that Liam was sure would be all over the papers tomorrow. 

As Liam finished speaking to Finn, he exited the room, stopping as he heard Theo's voice from behind an open door. 

"That's a wonderful shirt you've got on," he heard Theo say. 

Liam leaned against the wall, peeking into the room through the slightly open door. Theo sat on the edge of the bed of a girl who hadn't been at the story time. She was a bit older, and from what Liam could tell, a bit sicker. It was just Theo and the girl in the room, no photographer to be seen. 

"Oh, thank you!" She beamed up. "I just love _ Lord of the Rings _ !"

"Yes, me too," Theo said. "They're my very favorite books."

_ Liar, _ Liam thought to himself, remembering what it had said on the Prince Theo fact sheet. 

"Mine too!" The girl said excitedly.

"Who's your favorite character?" Theo asked, the smile in his voice sounding genuine, but Liam? He knew better. 

"I like Éowyn," the girl said. "She's strong, and smart, and doesn't need a man to fight her battles for her."

"Well, Gloria, I think that Éowyn is a fantastic choice."

"Thank you." The girl - Gloria, apparently - sounded very pleased with herself. "Who's your favorite?"

"Well," Theo said. "When I was your age, I liked Aragorn. He's strong, tough, very brave, and of course, he marries the most beautiful elf in all of Middle Earth," he smiled. "But as I've gotten older, I'd have to say that my favorite is Sam."

"Really?" Gloria sounded surprised. 

"Yes, you see," Theo said. "The more I've learned, the more I've realized that it is impossible to accomplish anything without fiercely loyal friends by your side. Sam made Frodo stronger, strong enough to do what he had to do. Without Sam in the background, Frodo would never have had the strength to destroy the ring and save Middle Earth. We are nothing without friends at our side." He paused. "No one should have to fight alone."

"Sometimes," Gloria said softly. "I feel like I'm fighting alone."

"I can understand that," Theo said softly. "But you're not alone, alright? I may not be able to visit you every day, or even very often, for that matter, but I'm your friend, Gloria. And I'm here fighting this with you. I know that it's not easy, but if you think you can be strong enough to be Frodo," he smiled at her. "I should think I can be your Sam."

And just like that, it struck Liam. 

The cancer ward. 

Theo's father. 

If he felt like a dick before, it was nothing compared to how much of a dick he felt like now. 

As he processed his thoughts, a nurse wheeling a cart stopped outside the door, giving Liam an odd look as she opened it the rest of the way, pushing the cart into the room. 

"Alright, Gloria, say your goodbyes, it's time for your medications."

"Theo's my Samwise," Gloria said. "He can stay."

"Gloria!" The nurse looked practically apoplectic at the casual way the girl was addressing the prince. "That's not-"

"It's alright," Theo said quickly. "Slayers of the Witch-King outrank the royal family any day."

Liam gulped, walking away, wondering if maybe, just maybe, he had misjudged Theo. 

Just a little bit.

***

When they left the hospital a little while later, Theo was all smiles, as though his emotional conversation with Gloria never happened. Liam was too much in shock from the moment to make a dig at him as they smiled and waved their way through the crowd - a decision that he was glad for moments later. As they buckled their seatbelts, he swore he saw Theo wipe a tear from his eyes.

The ride back to Kensington palace is silent, save for Derek informing them of when they were both to be ready for the theater, and Liam headed back to his apartments to eat, shower, and change. 

Boyd and Erica offered to eat with him, but he smiled, telling them that he was fine on his own, and instead, heading off to eat by himself. 

The palace kitchens offered to send a meal to him, but he opted to cook with what he had in his own fully stocked kitchen. Yes, it was fun in a way to have food ready at your beck and call, but Liam had always enjoyed cooking for himself, and even with the very limited spices in the guest apartments kitchen, he was able to make himself up a decent seafood pasta. 

As he ate, he updated his twitter.  **Can't wait to catch the theater with @HRHPrinceTheodore tonight! #MacBeth #TheScottishPlay #BetterNotSayTheMWordInTheTheater.**

He checked his tweet over for spelling errors, and, once he deemed it appropriate, hit send. 

He relaxed for a while, taking a quick nap on the luxurious bed, waking when his alarm alerted him that it was time to start getting ready. 

Liam showered, and went through the clothes that he had brought with him, the clothes that Mason had helped him select. He landed on a suit, black, and tailored exactly to his measurements, with a deep red vest beneath it, over a shirt as black as the blazer and slacks. He paired this with the nicest oxfords he had, and a black tie. 

He was _ not  _ going to be caught underdressed again. 

This time, Liam wasn't at all surprised when they slid into the car, and Theo was showing no signs of the emotions that Liam was  _ certain _ he had been having as they left the hospital. 

He looked perfectly styled in a burgundy suit and tie paired with a black shirt, and soft looking black suede shoes. 

At least this time, the two of them looked as though they were dressed for the same event. 

Once again, there was the parade through Theo's local subjects, smiling, waving, and greeting people, before they were ushered into a private box in the theater. Waiting for them there was a cheese plate with soft bread, and some fruit - nothing that would make much noise during the production, and a bottle of champagne on ice. 

"Are you sure that's the best idea?" Theo chided as Liam reached for the champagne. "With no table of gifts around to destroy, I can't bear to imagine what you'd ruin here."

"It's one bottle," Liam said, rolling his eyes. "Even if I wanted to, I couldn't get drunk on it."

And that was true, but only if Theo was going to be having any. The prince wouldn't leave him drinking alone, though. Sure, they may have been in a box, but people could still see them, and he was sure that eyes were on them. 

"Just thought I'd ask, considering your history."

"You are a nightmare of a human being," Liam muttered as he poured glass for each of them. 

"Then I shudder to think what  _ you  _ qualify as."

Liam was grateful for the dimming of the lights and the beginning of the production, because if they kept going back and forth like this, well, he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep his tone in check. The last thing they needed was for anyone to report that he had raised his voice to the prince. 

Thankfully, the show was incredibly well done, and Liam was able to focus his attention on the play rather than his increasing frustrations with Prince Theo. He didn't like to admit that the man was under his skin, but this guy, who could just turn on a dime?

Yeah. He was definitely getting to him. 

Intermission saw the two men rise from the box, stretching their legs, and heading to use the bathroom, of course, with their security teams in tow. Just as Liam left the bathroom, however, there were two loud pops, followed by shouting voices. 

Before he even had a chance to process what was happening, he and Theo were both being grabbed by Boyd and thrown into a supply closet near the bathroom. 

"Whatever you do, stay down!" Boyd hissed as he closed the door behind them. 


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonded by a mildly traumatic incident, Theo and Liam get to know each other better over the remainder of Liam's weekend and England.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe I'm posting the fifth chapter already! I am having SO much fun writing this story, and I really want to thank everyone who has commented. It really does make my day to know that y'all are enjoying my work.

Liam hit the bottom of the closet first, trying not to cry out as the handle of something poked in his back. The pain was made worse as Theo landed on top of him. 

"Your welcome," Liam said, his voice barely a whisper. 

"Excuse me?" Theo replied, his voice equally quiet. 

"For breaking your fall," Liam explained.

"You hardly did it intentionally," Theo said, attempting to move off of Liam, only to find that there really wasn't the space. 

"Doesn't matter, still did."

"It truly amazes me that someone could very well be shooting at us, and you are merely thinking about whether or not I am giving you due credit for the sheer happenstance of falling on top of you."

"Yeah, well, you're the one using phrases like 'sheer happenstance' while someone might be out there with a gun."

"You know, no one ever tries to kill me when I go out on my own, but suddenly, you're here, and look what happens?"

"Seriously? You're trying to blame me for this?" Liam was astonished at the audacity of the other man. "For the record, no one's ever shot at me before, either."

"Really? That is absolutely shocking." Theo paused. "Not because...just because America. Guns."

"I get it, I get it. Now can you please try and shift just a bit? Something that I  _ really _ hope is the handle of a hand broom is jabbing into my back."

To Liam's surprise, rather than roll slightly to the back of the closet, as Theo shifted, he moved his body closer to the door.

If a bullet were to tear through, it would hit Theo, and not Liam. 

"What are you doing?" Liam asked. 

"Shifting, just like you asked, you absolute numpty."

"No, I mean...towards the door?"

"Yes, towards the door," Theo said. "There was more space, and if you get injured here while visiting me, I will absolutely never hear the end of it. You would be positively insufferable." 

Liam couldn't really argue against that, though he stayed quiet. Regardless, however, he was surprised. Theo may not be standing out there, placing his body deliberately between Liam and some whack job with an AK-47, but the fact that he  _ had _ placed himself between Liam and some modicum of danger was absolutely shocking to the First Son. 

Both boys fell quiet, listening to the sounds of footsteps, and Liam swore that he could practically feel Theo's heart beating as they lay there, pressed together, waiting blindly to see what would happen next. 

They didn't hear any more gunshots, nor was there anymore shouting, but no one was coming to let them know that it was all clear, so they weren't out of the woods yet, and it was scary. 

Liam had been trained for this, of course. He had sat through hours and hours of lessons, and read pages and pages of documents for plans, for what to do if someone tried to make an attempt on his life. 

He knew that he got death threats every day, but those had always been hollow, or if they weren't, the plans for them had always been stopped long before they were a reality to Liam, but now? Now he was scared. He didn't want to die now, young, and hiding in a broom closet. 

And he certainly didn't want to die with Prince Theo on top of him. 

After what felt like forever, Liam heard footsteps approach, and stop in front of the closet door. He held his breath, and could tell that Theo was doing the same, as the door opened. 

This was it. Either it was over, and they were in the clear, or someone was coming to kill them. 

"It's all clear."

"Oh thank god." Liam let out a sigh of relief as Erica's voice filled the air, and the closet door opened.

Theo rolled out of the closet, and in moments, several of his PPOs surrounded him, pulling him to his feet. Erica reached out, offering a hand to Liam to help him up and out of the closet. 

He did so with less grace than Theo, stumbling as he tripped over a mop bucket on his way out. 

"What the hell happened?" Liam asked.

"Some prop explosives went off by mistake backstage," Erica explained. "We just had to make sure that everything was secure."

"Oh." Liam definitely felt an even greater sense of relief as he learned that there wasn't even a threat to begin with. "Oh, good. I'm glad you're okay."

"Do you want to stay for the rest of the show?" Derek asked, addressing both of them. "After that, I hardly think anyone would blame you if you decided to call it a day."

"Yes," Theo said, reaching out, raking a hand through his now slightly mussed hair. "I quite think that's enough excitement for one night, don't you, Liam?"

"Yeah, absolutely." 

There may not have been any real danger, but the feeling of being helpless, vulnerable on the floor of that broom closet hadn't quite left Liam yet, and he really didn't think that he had it in him to stay still for the second half of a Shakespeare play, even one that was being put on as wonderfully as this. 

"Alright, come on." Erica offered Liam a smile, and he returned it. 

The young men were ushered from the theater amidst a wave of apologies from the staff; apologies which Theo brushed off in a very diplomatic and princely fashion, and Liam had to admit that he was impressed with how well Theo was holding it together. After all, that had been a scary situation, and Theo didn't seem at all phased by it. 

When they reached the palace, and once again, exited the car, Liam turned to Theo. 

"Um," he shifted slightly. "Cornettos?" He asked. 

Theo paused for a moment, as though thinking it over. 

"I happen to have a 32 year old Scotch that pairs a bit better with terrifying life or death situations."

"Why not both?" Liam asked, tilting his head to the side. 

Theo paused, processing what Liam was saying. 

"Quite right." He nodded. "I'll meet you in your kitchen in 15 minutes?"

"Quite right," Liam said, doing his best to mimic Theo's accent. 

Theo just scoffed and turned away, heading for his own chambers. 

Boyd and Erica escorted Liam back to his own rooms, and he loosened his tie, quickly changing into sweatpants and a comfortable, but faded old  _ Queen  _ t-shirt. 

He moved towards the kitchen when he heard the door open, and found himself face to face with Theo, who, while dressed down, was not nearly as casual as Liam. He was wearing crisp blue jeans and a plain, blue t-shirt, carrying a bottle of scotch in one hand, and a pair of tumblers in the other. 

"Ah, it's nice to see that you have reverence for at least  _ some  _ of British culture," Theo said. 

"What?" Liam frowned. 

"Your shirt?" Theo gestured to Liam's torso. 

"Oh, yeah, well, you know, a good band is a good band," he reasoned. 

"Yes," Theo smiled. "I'm quite partial to  _ A Night at the Opera _ ."

"I'm more of a  _ Jazz _ man, myself."

"You're absolutely insane!" Theo argued as he poured them each a glass of the scotch. 

"Oh, _ I'm _ insane?" Liam laughed, retrieving the box of Cornetto's from the freezer. " _ Don't Stop Me Now _ is the ultimate classic!"

"Maybe," Theo said. "But  _ Bohemian Rhapsody  _ is what defined that  _ Queen _ sound, and  _ Love of My Life _ ?" Theo traded a glass of scotch for one of the ice cream cones. "Chills. Every time."

"You know what?" Liam smiled. "Fair enough."

He took a sip of his scotch, and looked up at Theo. 

"Holy fucking shit, that's good!" 

"Isn't it?" Theo smiled, taking a sip of his own drink. "Being a prince does have its perks."

"Shit, obviously," Liam snorted. "Still, thank you."

"For the scotch?"

"Yeah." Liam nodded. "And, you know..."

"I didn't take a bullet for you, Liam," Theo said. 

"I know, but..."

"It was just the most comfortable place to be."

"Right, of course." Liam nodded. 

The conversation turned back to an intense debate about the best _ Queen  _ songs and albums, and Liam couldn't help but think about how, if he'd met this version of Theo earlier, they might not be in the situation they were in now. 

Then again, had he not gotten drunk and practically tackled Theo, he might not have ever seen this side of the man at all. 

For the first time, Liam thought he was seeing the  _ real _ Prince Theodore, and maybe, just maybe, the guy wasn't so bad.

***

Liam had spent the first part of his morning slightly hungover, and packing his things up. They had one more appearance together, the two of them at the stables, where this had all begun only about a day before, and Liam? He was nervous.  Horses weren’t really his thing. He had never ridden them growing up, and he had had the opportunity a couple of times since his mother had risen in political office, but he had never taken that opportunity. After all, horses were a big, scary unknown, and he just didn’t want to take the chance.    


As they headed to the stables, he felt thoroughly out matched. He was wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt along with a pair of sneakers, but Theo? He was wearing perfectly tailored riding pants and shiny leather riding boots that looked like they had just come out of the box. He looked the very image of preppy with a polo shirt finishing off the look. 

“Hello, love,” Theo said, a smile on his face as a beautiful white horse was brought over to him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of jelly beans, watching as the horse hoovered them up. He reached out, patting her neck as she did so.    
  
“This one’s for you, Mr. Dunbar,” a stable hand said, leading over a brown horse that looked, well, slightly less majestic than Theo’s. 

“Uh…” Liam looked at the horse, biting his lip. He didn’t have any jelly beans in his pocket! He hadn’t realized that he was supposed to. “Hello, horse.”   
  
“Her name is Lucy,” Theo said. “And this one is Belle.”   
  
“Right.” Liam looked over to where Theo was patting his horse. “So...I just…” he looked at the stirrups, and the tiny English saddle, and honestly? This did not seem like a good time to the First Son.    
  
Maybe this was what it was all leading up to. Theo would get him on a horse, the horse would buck, Liam would break his neck, and they would be able to pass the whole thing off as an accident.    
  
But then he remembered the way that Theo had been last night, sitting at the small kitchen table in casual clothes, drinking scotch, eating ice cream, and talking about music. Honestly, Liam didn’t think that Prince Theo was trying to kill him. 

At least not anymore.    
  
“Have you never been on a horse before?” Theo asked, genuinely surprised.    
  
“That would be a no,” Liam admitted. 

“Oh, I just assumed, what with the whole American Cowboy thing, you’d have, well, ridden at least once.”   
  
“I’m from Northern California, that’s hardly a New Mexican ranch,” he admitted.    
  
“Well, here, let me just help you up, then,” Theo said. He handed Belle’s reins to the stable hand, and walked over to Liam. 

“Wait, wait!” Derek said. “Hold on just a moment.” 

Theo paused, and waited patiently, standing next to Liam as Derek ushered over a photographer. Liam smiled, realizing what was happening.    
  
“Oh, no, here!” Liam reached into his pocket, fishing out his phone. “Take it with my phone, I’ll post it to Instagram. Way more authentic.”   
  
For the first time since coming here, Liam was sure that he saw Derek crack a smile. Of course, it was gone a second later, but Liam felt a swelling of pride in his chest for making the stiff equerry crack a grin. 

“Alright,” Derek said, holding the phone out, getting the camera ready. “Go ahead.”   
  
Prince Theo laughed and crouched down, lacing his gloved fingers together to form a cup for Liam to step in. 

“If you throw me across the horse, I swear to god,” Liam muttered, hesitantly moving closer to Theo.   
  
“I would never,” Theo said with a grin. “That’s more your way, don’t you think?”   
  
“Hey, you never know when revenge will rear its ugly head,” Liam said.    
  
“Just get on the horse, Liam. You’re not afraid, are you?”   
  
“What? No, of course I’m not afraid!” Liam shook his head, indignant at being called out by the prince.

He walked over, stepping into Theo’s hand.

“Alright, now just grab the saddle, and up we go. Swing your free leg over, and just settle in!”

Liam scoffed. Theo was saying this like it was the easiest thing in the world, but he focused. He grabbed onto the saddle, being sure to hold tight as Theo boosted him up. Fortunately, he was able to get his leg up and over the saddle easily enough, but as he tried to get his feet into the stirrups, he slipped a little.

“Whoa there,” Theo said, catching him, and righting him on the horse.    
  
“Thanks.” Liam got his feet in the stirrups, and held the reins, trying his best to feel at ease. This wasn’t comfortable, and he didn’t understand why anyone would do this for fun, but it wasn’t up to him, apparently. Very little these days seemed to be up to him. 

To Lucy’s credit, she stayed perfectly still the entire time, and Liam sat still in the saddle, watching as Theo mounted Belle flawlessly. 

_ Showoff _ , he thought to himself, shaking his head.    
  
“See, now was that so bad?” Theo asked, urging his horse over to where Liam was. 

“Uh, I guess not?” Liam shrugged. “But now what?”   
  
“Now we ride, just squeeze your legs together a little, let Lucy know it’s time to go.”  
  
Much to Liam's surprise, Theo was a patient teacher, and while Liam was trying to hide being terrified, the horse was well trained, and equally patient. 

The pair of them rode around for about an hour, Theo explaining how to guide Lucy where Liam wanted her, and how to get her to pick up speed, and reduce it again.

"As wonderful as this has been for publicity, and relations," Derek said. "Liam, your plane will be leaving soon. If we get you back to the palace now, you'll have enough time to shower and change, and get home at a decent hour?"

"Oh, yeah, of course," Liam said. "Uh..." he looked down at the ground. "How do I..." 

Theo laughed, dismounting his horse just as flawlessly as he had gotten on it.

"Just take your right foot out of the stirrup, and swing your leg back over," Theo said, walking to Liam. "I'll steady you if need be."

"I swear to god, if someone takes a picture of this..." Liam sighed, but did as he was told. He swung his right leg back over the horse, and of course, lost his balance.

True to his word, Theo was right there. He put his hands around Liam's waist, catching him, stopping him from falling to the ground. 

"Don't worry," Theo said, stepping back to allow Liam to collect himself. "I was crap at it the first time, too."

"Oh, wow, how big of you, admitting you actually  _ have _ a shortcoming? And here I was, thinking that you were just born knowing how to do everything."

"Is that any way to treat someone who just stopped you from falling flat on your ass?" Theo asked, tilting his head to the side. "I should think not."

"We really do have to get going," Derek said. Liam could tell from his tone that he was trying not to be pushy, but that he also didn't have time to wait around while these two young men made fun of each other. 

Theo stored his riding gear and said goodbye to Belle, giving her another few jelly beans from his pocket, before offering to let Liam try. He opted out, and Theo fed treats to Lucy as well before heading to the car.

It felt a little weird, going back to the guest apartments to pack up the rest of his things. He had done most of his packing that morning, but there were some finishing touches. Once he was showered and changed, he set the Prince Theo files on the top of his suitcase, closing it.    


While he was doing one last sweep around the rooms to make sure that he hadn’t left anything behind, he found some supplies in a desk, and wrote  **DRUMSTICKS** on a piece of paper. He took it to the kitchen, taping it over the word  **CORNETTOS** on the box of ice cream cones, and, with a grin in place on his face, headed out to the car for the last time to head to the airport. 

He wasn’t even sure if Theo would go back down there. After all, there was a good chance that the prince had had his own supply restocked since Liam had arrived, but still, the joke would be funny, if it landed. If not, well, there would be a confused member of the palace staff, and honestly, that was a small price to pay.    
  
While in the car, driving to the airport, Liam went through the photos that Derek had taken on his phone of Theo boosting him onto the horse. 

“What do you think of this one?” He leaned over to Theo, showing him one of the pictures. They were both smiling in it - and Theo, it seemed, was actually laughing as Liam did his best to hang on to the horse and pull himself up and onto it. 

“That’s a good one.” Theo said, a smile - genuine, or so Liam thought, tugging at the corners of his lips. 

“Perfect.” Liam didn’t filter the photo. The sunlight from the stable was more than good enough, and he tagged Theo, and added a caption.    
  
**I get by with a little help from my friends.**

The world was going to eat that shit up. 

“Well,” Theo said, standing at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the private plane that Liam would be taking back home.

They were at the royal airstrip, and the only photographer nearby was the one paid by the royal family to be there.

“I would say this has been successful,” Liam said. 

“Indeed.” Theo agreed. 

“Maybe when you come to America, I can teach you to fire a gun,” Liam teased.

“When I come to America?” Theo asked. 

“Well, yeah, I mean, this can’t be the last time we’re seen together, the world thinks we’re best buddies now. We gotta keep it up.”   
  
“Fine.” Theo said. “But I’m not firing a fucking gun.”   
  
“Eh, I’ll teach you how to throw a football, then.” Liam grinned.    
  
“I refuse to call that _ thing _ a football.”   
  
“Suit yourself,” Liam said with a shrug, turning towards the plane. “Oh, wait.” He turned back, grabbing Theo’s phone from his hand.

“Hey!” Theo objected.

Derek looked ready to pounce, to grab the phone right out of Liam’s hands, and threaten him with the NDA that he had signed when he had arrived, but he waited. 

Liam typed something into the phone, then tossed it back into Theo’s hands.    
  
“There,” he said with a smile as he boarded the plane. “Now you have my number.”   
  
Theo looked down at the phone, where the new contact titled **Liam Dunbar** stared back at him. 

He instantly clicked ‘edit’ and changed the contact to  **First Son of Annoyance** before firing off a quick message.    
  
**Do try your best not to get drunk on the plane.**

Liam saw the text right as he was settling into his seat, and he couldn’t help but laugh. He added Theo to his phone, the contact titled  **His Royal Headache Prince Theo** , and replied. 

**_Only if you try your best not to get sick on all that blood pudding you call food._ **

Feeling pleased with himself, both for the text message, and for the way that this weekend had gone, Liam eased into his seat and closed his eyes. He hadn’t slept terribly well in the palace, but he was a natural when it came to sleeping on planes. By the time the plane was in the sky, Liam was fast asleep, the anxiety about ruining his mother’s presidency leaving him...at least for the time being.


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam returns to America, and learns a few things about his mother's political future and White House Thanksgiving practices. He seeks help from Scott McCall, and goes to his new "friend" Prince Theo for assistance with a unique problem.

**ROYAL BROMANCE: Prince Theo and First Son Liam Dunbar Flaunt Their Friendship, and We Are** **_All_ ** **Jealous**

**LIAM'S WEEKEND IN ENGLAND**

**AN AMERICAN FIRST SON IN LONDON! See Photos of Liam's Royal's visit!**

**THE PRINCE DIARIES: Prince Theo Photographed Teaching Good Pal First Son Liam Dunbar How to Ride**

Liam couldn't help but feel smug about the headlines. There were photo galleries, listicles - even a  _ Buzzfeed  _ quiz -  **Which Photo of Liam Dunbar and Prince Theo are You?**

The two of them had done their job, and it seemed as though they were back on track. His mother was no longer casting disappointing glances at him, and Stiles was no longer livid. He had even given Liam a "you did good, kid," as he de-boarded the plane. 

It felt good, knowing that he had been able to fix his mistakes, and still riding the high of a successful victory, he decided to pay a visit to Scott McCall. 

Scott was the youngest current United States Congressman. At 26, he just barely met the age requirement, and there was a lot that the man had to prove, but he worked tirelessly to do so.

Liam and Scott had gotten close last summer when Liam had volunteered with Scott's campaign. He had experience from his own mother's races, and he wanted to learn more. Hitching himself to Scott McCall's wagon had brought national attention to McCall's campaign, and had definitely not hurt when it came time for elections. 

"Well, well, well, if it isn't our little international shit stirrer!" Scott looked up from his desk, a smile on his face when Liam walked in. 

"Oh, like you've never gotten drunk and thrown the prince of another country into a table of his own presents," Liam said with a laugh. 

"Hey, at least you can clean up a mess as spectacularly as you make them. You're all over the internet today."

"With a face like this?" Liam teased. "I'm all over the internet every day."

"Pretty sure that has less to do with your face, and more to do with who your mother is."

"Potato, potahto," Liam shrugged. 

"So, what have you come to antagonize me with today?" Scott asked. 

"What, can't a guy come hang out with the fella he helped to get elected?"

Scott narrowed his eyes, not answering Liam's questions. 

"Alright, alright, I was wondering if you'd, you know," he leaned in forwards. "Heard anything more about Argent?"

"It's never nothing with you." Scott sighed, leaning back in his chair. 

"That's not an answer." Liam paused. "You know something."

"Look, I don't know much, okay?" Scott said. "But word around here is that he's planning to announce his candidacy sometime in the next few months."

"I knew it! That prick!"

Gerard Argent, an aging, conservative Senator from Indiana had been gathering buzz about running for President. Argent had been a vocal critic of Jenna Dunbar since day one, and with the family money and power that Gerard had, no one could prove it, but everyone knew the guy played dirty. 

"It's going to be an uphill battle for re-election, I'm afraid," Scott continued. "Gerard has been gathering armies against your mother since before she was even an official presidential candidate, and now that  _ she's _ the incumbent, he's free to use those numbers to run against her."

"Well, fuck."

This wasn't exactly news, but it wasn't what Liam was hoping for, either. 

"Hey, don't shoot the messenger," Scott said. 

"What are you working on, anyways?" Liam asked. 

"Oh." Scott smiled. "A bill that calls for gender neutral bathroom stalls in all public schools. Speaking of uphill battles..." he sighed. 

"You're doing the good work, buddy," Liam said. "I'll leave you to it."

"Oh, so that's how it is? You come in here, pick my brain for information, and when you've bled me dry, that's it?"

"Yup." Liam grinned. "You know me so well."

"Take care, kid," Scott said. "Should I be expecting a joint Christmas gift from you and the prince this year?"

"Shut up." Liam rolled his eyes, flipping Scott the bird as he left the office.   
  
***

Liam knew that he should be doing his homework, but he couldn't focus. Scott's words were ringing in his ears. 

Gerard Argent was going to tear them to shreds, and he knew that they had to be ready. He would go after the fact that Jenna was a woman. He would go after the fact that she was divorced, no matter how ugly Liam's father had been. He would go after the fact that her second marriage was interracial. He would go after the fact that her running mate was black. He would go after the fact that Mason was gay, and Liam? He would go after Liam's anger, bring up documents and reports of school fights that Liam had been in before his mother could afford a good therapist. He would find every little thread that he could in the Dunbar/Geyer/Hewitt camp, and tug at it until everything unraveled as much as it could. 

Liam knew that he didn't need to tell Jenna. He was aware that she already knew this was coming, but that didn't stop him from diving down the Argent hellhole. 

Liam found himself researching the man's regressive policies - racist, sexist, xenophobic attempts to grab America by the balls and turn it into a fucking garbage can of a country.

God, Liam hoped the universe wouldn't let that happen. 

He was pulled from his thoughts by a loud buzzing from his phone. 

**Pizza in the game room. Family dinner. Not optional.**

Liam smiled at the text from his mother, and closed his laptop, making sure to x out of the tab with Gerard Argent's smug face before doing so. He didn't want to have to see _ that _ again when he came back. 

"Well, look who's back from patching up his first international incident!" David reached out, ruffling Liam's hair as he entered the room. 

"Good to see you, too." Liam rolled his eyes. 

"Hey, we'll make a politician of you, yet!" Jenna said, her smile bright. 

"Eh, you know that's more Mason's avenue than mine." Liam shrugged. If anything, he was more the campaign manager type.

"Still, I'm proud of you," Jenna said. "You made a mistake, and you took ownership, fixed it. I'm sorry that we made you do that, but-"

"It's fine," Liam said quickly. "It actually wasn't, you know, 100% the worst thing ever."

"No, I did finally get to see my son on horseback!" Jenna teased. 

"And you didn't look half terrified," David added. 

"I hate you both," Liam said. "I'm emancipating."

"Speaking of baseless threats," Jenna said. "A little bird told me you were harassing Congressman McCall today?"

"He's my friend!" Liam sighed. "I wasn't harassing him!"

"And?" Jenna asked. 

Liam shook his head, rolling his eyes. Of course his mother would call him out for bugging Scott, and then want the intel anyways. 

"And...he's pretty sure that it's set in stone. Argent is going to be announcing his campaign soon."

"God, I hate that man," Jenna said, tensing slightly. 

"Hey, hey." David moved to put an arm around her. "We all do, okay? But it's going to be alright. You've been prepared for this. You knew this was coming. He's going to make low blows, and we're going to aim high. This won't be the first time you've faced backlash, Jenna."

"No, you're very right," Jenna said. "But all the same, I just wish it were anyone else. Quite literally, anyone else."

"You've got teams on it," Liam said. "Let's not let that fucker ruin a perfectly good pizza, okay?" He opened the box, taking out a slice of pepperoni. 

"What would I do without you?" Jenna asked, a smile in place on her face. 

"Well," Liam said. "You wouldn't be constantly dragged for having a son with a man you're no longer married to."

Jenna walked over, kissing Liam on the top of the head. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Liam smiled, resting back onto the couch. The way that things had been when he had left for England were tense and terrible, but this? Having pizza with his mom and stepdad, her being proud of him again? 

It felt good. Even with the hell storm that Argent was likely to rain down.   
  
***

It wasn't until almost a week later that Liam heard from Theo. 

**Found this gif of you online, thought you might like to see it.**

And below the text was a gif of Gimli from  _ Lord of the Rings  _ falling off of a horse. 

Fantastic.

Liam rolled his eyes and tossed his phone aside, turning back to his school work. He was only taking one course over the summer, mostly to keep his mind busy, but as the summer was coming to a close, well, he was going to have to get used to being a full time student once again.

He had no plans of replying to Theo's rude text, but a few days later, he saw a screenshot of an article from a British blog titled  **Prince Theo's SECRET Love Child**

With a laugh, Liam texted the screenshot to Theo. 

**_But love, we were so very careful!_ **

As much as Liam was joking, honestly, in the back of his mind, a part of him was hoping that Theo would come clean, that this might prompt him to tell Liam if he actually  _ did  _ have a secret love child hidden away somewhere in the palace. 

After all, Liam never had discovered just exactly what it was Prince Theo needed an ironclad NDA to hide. 

The lack of a reply from Prince Theo only granted credence in Liam's mind to the theory of the love child. 

A few days later, however, Theo sent Liam a link to a photoshoot from  _ GQ _ , featuring Liam emerging shirtless from a swimming pool, and lounging beside it.

**Was this really necessary?**

Liam snorted, and took only a few minutes to unearth a photo spread of Prince Theo on holiday in the Maldives, a very _ European _ pair of pink swim trunks barely covering the necessities. The photos were clear, and pristine, and it was evident that they were staged. 

**Was this?** was all Liam's counter-text said. 

The texts began to come more often, Liam learning about Theo's day to day life through the little snippets. He learned that Theo's entire schedule was seamlessly run by Derek, who honestly fascinated Liam a little. After all, the guy always looked poised, in a pressed suit but apparently, according to Theo, owned a motorcycle.

Through texts, Liam told Theo about Mason, and how their friendship had budded when Liam's mom ran for senate the first time. He told Theo about how he was majoring in history and political science, with a plan to go into campaign strategy and management after graduation. 

In return, Liam learned that Theo was using his time since graduating to travel the world and work with various charities, many of them run, or at least supported, by his best friend, Corey Bryant. 

"Okay, who are you texting?" Mason asked, leaning over and trying to get a look at Liam's phone.

"What? No one. Stiles," Liam said quickly.

"Yeeeah, that's not your 'texting with Stiles' face, so I'm gonna need you to dial it back on the lying to me situation." 

God damnit. Mason knew him too well. 

"Is it Kira?" Mason pressed. "Did you find videos of her speaking Japanese again and fawn over them for hours?"

"That is something I have never in my life done," Liam argued. 

"It is something you have done  _ several _ times over the course of our friendship."

"I hate you," Liam argued. 

"You wish you could hate me," Mason corrected. "But you don't, so you're going to tell me who you're texting?"

"Your mom."

"Nice try. My mom barely knows how to turn her phone on, let alone text."

"Oh, hey, look! Corey Bryant retweeted your latest post!"

"What?" Mason instantly grabbed for his own phone. 

As Mason became enveloped in the web of Corey Bryant, a new text came in from Theo. 

**In the most boring meeting of my life. When I've strangled myself with my tie due to boredom, don't let them start a war by planting my body on the shores of Guilder.**

Liam smiled, shaking his head, and merely replied with a gif of Westley from  _ The Princess Bride  _ saying "As you wish."

A few days later, came another text from Theo. 

**Would you care to explain to me why I have just received 200 Jenna Dunbar for President campaign buttons?**

**_What's good for the goose is good for the gander!_ **

**What is that even supposed to mean?**

**_We're best buddies now, remember? You supporting my mom helps that!_ **

**Derek thought it was a bomb. He nearly evacuated the entire palace.**

**_That's not my fault._ **

**It is, in fact, entirely your fault.**

**_No one will believe you._ **

**Have you seen my face? Everyone will believe me.**

Liam couldn't help but roll his eyes. 

**_Good to see you're as humble as ever._ **

**You are a menace to society.**

**_Nah, just you._ **

**I beg to differ.**

**_Tell Derek I’m sorry about the bomb scare (even though it wasn’t my fault). And that I miss that sweet, sweet ass._ **

**I will do no such thing.**

Liam laughed, tossing his phone aside to get back to his homework. He wasn't sure why, but the back and forth with Theo, even with the five hour time difference, got easier and easier by the minute. 

With school starting up again, and politics eternally on the horizon, Liam's days were filling up more and more, but he found that the stress of the days were often broken up by little texts from Theo. Pictures of his dog, Freddie, wearing a Gryffindor scarf, or little statements about Derek or Corey that keep Liam interested. In return, he shared information about his classes, told Theo the little things that he and Mason were getting up to, and as October came to a close, Liam was pretty sure that what he and Theo had was actually verging on a real friendship. 

**_Hey, look, I dressed up as you for Halloween!_ **

Liam sent a picture of himself wearing a zombie costume. 

**You are the funniest man in the world.**

**_Aren't I, though? What were you for Halloween?_ **

**Didn't dress up. It's not really the same...big deal here that is for you in America. At least not for the royal family, at any rate.**

**_Well that is fucking bullshit! Robbing the whole world of seeing you dressed as a vampire is just cruel and unusual punishment._ **

**Forcing the whole world to see you at all is cruel and unusual punishment, and yet, here we are.**

***

"Mom," Liam followed his mother into her office in the White House the day before Thanksgiving. "That is absolutely insane!"

"It's what we've always done. It's what Obama did before me, and Bush before him, and so on and so forth," Jenna explained. "And it is what whoever comes after me will do."

"The suites at the Willard are bigger than our first home!" Liam argued. "Renting one out for a  _ turkey  _ is ridiculous!"

"It's tradition for the president to pardon a turkey every Thanksgiving, Liam, you know that," Jenna sighed. "We did this last year."

"Well last year I didn't know the turkey had a suite at the Willard all to itself!"

"Where do you propose we keep the turkey then, Liam? The White House is a historically protected building. We can’t put it just anywhere!”

"I don't know!" Liam threw his hands up in the air. "There has to be somewhere! My room!"

"Fine." Jenna smiled. "I will have Sir Gobbles rerouted to your room."

"Wait, no, that's-"

"Just think of how much money it will save. You know, government waste, and all." She grinned. "Now please, Liam. I have actually important business to attend to."

"Fuck. Fine." Liam sighed, leaving the room, definitely feeling as though he should have kept his big mouth shut. 

He became sure of that a couple hours later when Sir Gobbles was brought to his room, caged, and unwilling, it seemed, to shut up. 

**_This is it. This is how I die._ **

**What on Earth are you talking about?**

**_There is a turkey in my room. It knows. It knows I took away it's nice, lavish hotel room, and it is going to make me pay._ **

**Shockingly, I am actually more confused now than I was after your first text.**

Liam sighed and took a photo of Sir Gobbles, sending it to Theo. 

**My god, there's actually a turkey in your room.**

**_I told you!_ **

**To be fair, that message sounded more like the rantings of a mad man than anything rational.**

**_To be fair, you sound like a dick when you say things like 'rantings of a mad man.’_ **

**Liam. Why is there a turkey in your room?**

With a sigh, Liam pressed call. It would be easier to explain this entire situation over the phone than over text, and honestly, he wasn't sure that he wanted Prince Theo to have a paper trail of evidence to use against him. 

"It is six in the morning, what is your problem?" Theo asked, his voice tired as he answered the call. 

"Don't even pretend like I woke you up, I knew you were already awake. You were texting. And besides, it's only 1 AM here," Liam said. 

"Good god, what is that noise?"

"That is Sir Gobbles. He has not shut up since he got here."

"I'm going to need you to explain this to me clearly."

"So, every Thanksgiving, it is tradition for the White House to grant a Presidential Pardon to a turkey. I found out today that they were planning to put the turkey up in a fancy hotel, and I sort of...took it too far with the 'gross government waste' spiel, and now  _ my  _ room is the turkey hotel."

"This holiday makes absolutely no sense to me," Theo said. 

"Honestly, it's more about pretending genocide that totally happened never happened, than anything else, at this point."

"How very American," Theo said dryly. 

"Oh, like England is any better."

There was a pause on the line, and for a second, Liam worried he had taken it too far. 

"That is very fair."

"Anyways, Theo, this turkey is demonic. You saw the picture!"

"I did," Theo agreed. "It was, in fact, a turkey."

" _ You're _ a turkey," Liam replied. 

"Congratulations. That is the comeback of the century."

"But seriously, Theo. It's looking into my soul. It knows what I stole from it, and it is going to punish me for it."

"It's in a cage, Liam."

"Cages are only so strong!"

"Do you seriously think that the turkey is going to break free from the cage and attack you?"

"Yes!" Liam said. "It is going to  _ Jurassic Park  _ the hell out of me. This is it. This is how I go."

"Well, at least you will be remembered."

"You're not taking this seriously," Liam said. 

"Am I meant to be?" Theo asked. 

"YES!" Liam practically shouted.

Liam's yelling, however, just caused Sir Gobbles to start up again, and Liam threw himself onto the bed with a frustrated cry. 

"The lack of sleep has made you delusional," Theo said. "Look, we have turkeys in England as well, I hunt them from time to time, you just have to gain it's trust, it's easy."

"Really?" Liam sat up, hair sticking up from every possible angle. 

"Yes, I'll walk you through it, alright?"

"Fine." 

"Okay, so get close to it, look it in the eyes, show Sir Gobbles that you are not afraid."

"Okay..." Liam did as he was told, moving closer to the cage. 

"Get on his level, let him know you mean him no harm."

"Okay." Liam squatted down by the cage, looking Sir Gobbles straight in his demon turkey eyes. 

"Now speak to it, use a soft voice. Acknowledge Sir Gobbles."

"Right." Liam took a deep breath. "Hi, Sir Gobbles, it's all good, okay, buddy? We aren't going to eat you, we're going to let you go!" He used a calm, even voice, the one he used to speak with children or fluffy animals. 

"Good, that's perfect," Theo said. "Now, tell Sir Gobbles that you love him. Propose marriage to Sir Gobbles. Name children with Sir Gobbles."

"Oh, you motherfucker!" Liam stood quickly, practically roaring into the phone as Theo's deep laughter filled his ear. 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, we don’t even hunt turkeys here, but you just made it so easy!"

"You're not sorry at all," Liam growled. 

"No, no, you're right." Liam could practically hear Theo grinning on the other end of the phone. "I'm really not."

"You laugh now, but when you see the headlines tomorrow,  **FSOTUS Mauled To Death By Turkey** , who will be laughing then?"

"Still me," Theo said. 

And yeah. Liam really should have seen that coming. 

"It's a turkey, Liam. It is not going to  _ Jurassic Park _ you. It does not know your sins. Lock it in the bathroom and go to sleep."

"Have you no sympathy for me?" Liam asked, tucking the phone between his ear and shoulder as he begrudgingly followed Theo's advice, moving the cage to the bathroom.

"Absolutely none whatsoever," Theo confirmed. "You're going to be fine. Now for the love of god, Liam, go to bed so that you will be well rested for your barbaric holiday."

"I hate you," Liam snarled, settling the cage in the bathroom and closing the door, wedging his desk chair against it for good measure. 

"Yes, yes, we know," Theo said. "Now go to sleep."

"Fine." Liam sighed. He hung up the phone and set it on his bedside table. 

He could still hear Sir Gobbles from the other side of the door, but it wasn't long until the turkey quieted, and finally, Liam was able to go to sleep.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an unexpected text message sends Liam spiraling, he inexplicably reaches out to Theo for comfort, and their relationship begins to shift.

After Thanksgiving, Liam was surprised by how quickly the last two weeks of school went, and suddenly, the fall semester was over. Since he was finishing an extra semester due to his transfer, this marked the end of his undergraduate education. 

He wouldn’t be participating in a graduation ceremony until the spring, as he wanted to graduate with the full class, and also, the school wanted him present at the graduation ceremony, but he was still filled with a sense of accomplishment when his phone chimed with a news alert.    
  
**FIRST SON LIAM DUNBAR GRADUATES MAGNA CUM LAUDE FROM GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY**   
  
He didn’t bother to read the article, just slid the phone back into his pocket with a smile on his face, and a sense of accomplishment blooming in his chest. Education hadn’t always been the easiest for him, so to graduate with honors was a testament to how hard he had worked. He had fucked a couple of things up lately, and he was glad that this was not one of them. 

“Well, well, well, how’s my little graduate?” Mason was practically beaming as he leaned against Liam’s doorway. 

“So good.” Liam grinned. “I couldn’t have done it without you, you know that, right?”   
“Psht, obviously. Behind every Magna Cum Laude graduate is the best friend that harangued him to study, and made him color coded flash cards.”   
  
“What would I do without you?”   
  
“Luckily,” Mason smiled. “You will never have to find out.”   
  
He moved into the room, parking himself on Liam’s bed, while Liam sat down at his desk chair.    
  
“Fun part now though, eh?” Mason asked, tilting his head to the side. “Planning your  _ epic _ New Years Eve/Graduation Party?”   
  
“Like we haven’t already been planning it for months,” Liam said with a snort. The guest list had been finalized ages ago, and the veritable who’s who of young starlets, the youthful employees/interns of politicians, children of said politicians, and of course, friends of Liam and Mason, were planning to attend.    
  
It had been Jenna’s idea for Liam to throw a young adults New Year’s Eve party, and since it fell perfectly in time with his graduation, they had decided to make it one in the same. Of course, the White House staff was also planning a more formal graduation luncheon for him in the Spring, once the weather was better, but this was his party. This was his thing to plan with his best friend, Mason, and throw without a whole lot of supervision. 

Yes, there was going to be security, and pretty much everyone was going to have to sign an NDA, but things like that were standard for parties such as these, so no one was all that worried. 

“We also still have to get through Christmas first.”   
  
“Ugh, right.” Mason sighed. 

The White House Christmas party was neither of their favorite holiday traditions. For Liam, it basically meant putting on a deep green and black velvet suit, and taking photos with everyone who wanted to come. It wasn’t a real party, it was more a show for the people, and he got that it was important, but that didn’t mean that Liam loved flitting around a party like a piece of meat. 

He was definitely looking forward to his own party more. 

“At least we have Christmas Eve Dinner.” That was one of Liam’s favorite traditions. It was just family - his family and Mason’s, and, well, at some point, Stiles had managed to weasel his way into the tradition, but Stiles had been there from the very beginning, when his mother ran her first ever campaign out of their kitchen, so it was hard to deny that he was, at least in a way, family. 

“Yes! Speaking of, I think I found the winners,” Mason said with a grin. 

“Oh my god, really?”   
  
“Yeah, hold on.” Mason reached for his laptop and opened it up, showing Liam a page with two of the single best Christmas sweaters Liam had ever seen. 

They were both hand knitted, and one of a kind. One was Santa Clause riding on a dinosaur, and the other featured a pair of Reindeer just absolutely going at it.    
  
“Those are horrific.” Liam said, grin wide. “Buy them right now.”   
  
“I knew it.” Mason laughed, clicking purchase on both of them, not wanting to lose out. After all, there were no others if these ones sold. They were chunky, probably itchy, and absolutely perfect.

“I love that there’s no press for this. It’s just our family, and our stupid sweaters, and they can be as terrible as we like, because the public never has to see them.”   
  
“Exactly,” Mason agreed. “A little bit of Christmas just for us.”

***   
  
Liam got through the White House Christmas Party, though. And the First Family portrait, and all of the charity toy drives, and Holiday hullabaloo that came with being the son of the President of the United States, and finally, it was time for the family dinner he was  _ actually _ looking forward to.

**Dear god in heaven, what is that monstrosity?**   
  
Theo texted in reply to Liam sending a picture of him in the sweater with Santa riding the dinosaur.    
  
**_Family tradition. Ugliest sweater wins $500 to the charity of their choice. Everyone chips in._ **   
  
**Well, you are a shoo-in.**   
  
**_That’s the hope! I’m really wanting to give the money to that trans youth rescue you were telling me about? The one that Corey is planning to open in New York._ **

**He would absolutely love that. May the best ugly sweater win...and may your ugly sweater be the ugliest.**   
  
**_I mean, it’s so terrible it kind of has to, right?_ **   
  
**Yes. May I suggest burning it once you’ve claimed victory? And destroying all evidence that you ever wore such a thing?** **  
**   
**_Are you kidding? I’m keeping this baby forever!_ **

**I really have to advise against it.**   
  
**_Okay, but you know that this is like a thing, right? Ugly sweaters?_ **   
  
**I’m aware. My response remains the same.**   
**_  
_ ** **_I’m sending you one. Your royal wardrobe needs some spicing up anyways._ **   
  
**I beg you to not** **_._ ** **_  
_ ** **_  
_ ** **_Anyways, I have to go. Family dinner, and isn’t it late there?_ ** **_  
_ ** **_  
_ ** **Yes, but some infernal idiot just had to send me a photo of him in a dumb sweater at 11 o’clock at night.**   
  
**_It’s not my fault you find me utterly enchanting._ **   
  
**Go to your dinner.**   
  
Liam didn’t respond, he just smiled, shaking his head as he put his phone back into his pocket.    
  
Dinner was a lot of fun. Liam’s phone remained in his pocket, buzzing incessantly, but whoever it was, he could call them later, and he would. The dinner table was full of laughs. Stiles, the reigning Ugly Sweater champion, presented Mason with the award for this year’s ugliest sweater, and Liam was fine with that. After all, they both had their eye on the same charity anyways. 

“I’m going to go get dessert,” Jenna said with a smile, getting up from the table to go and fetch their traditional Christmas Eve dessert of cinnamon rice pudding. 

Liam took that moment to check his phone, frowning. He had seven missed text messages, and just as many missed phone calls, all from a number that he didn’t have saved. 

“Oh hell,” Liam sighed, looking up at Mason. “I think someone leaked my number.”   
  
“Oh shit, no way!” Mason’s eyes widened. “Do you have like, 2 million texts?”   
  
“No, just 7.”   
  
“Oh.” Mason frowned. “I think that, if your number got leaked, it would be way more than that.”   
  
“Fair point.” He opened up his messages. “Huh. They’re all from the same number.” 

Liam’s heart started hammering in his chest, and suddenly, his sweater felt very itchy, and very, very hot. 

_ Liam Dunbar? _ _   
_ _   
_ _ It’s me. Gary. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Your father. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Pick up the phone, Liam. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ I just want to wish you Merry Christmas. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ And congratulate you on your graduation. _

_ Call me back. _   
  
“What is it?” Mason frowned, looking up at Liam. 

“Oh.” Liam smiled, shaking his head. “Just, you know…” He pocketed the phone. “Some asshole giving me shit about how my mom bought my degree with her presidency. It’s nothing.”   
  
“God, what a jackoff! Who tracks down the First Son’s number just to say something like that?”

“People with too much time on their hands,” Liam said. He took a deep breath, doing his best to fake everything. He didn’t want to ruin Christmas dinner for everyone, and he knew that if he told his mother that his father had reached out, well, it would ruin her Christmas. 

He knew that he had to tell her, but he could wait until after the holidays. The same had to go for Mason. After all, Mason wasn’t much of a liar, and if Jenna confronted him, Liam knew that he would break. Instantly. 

Dessert came, and Mason was instantly side tracked, but Liam just picked at his, taking a few bites, and moving it around in the bowl. 

“Wow,” He laughed, leaning back in his chair. “I ate way too much ham.”

“Well, there will always be rice pudding tomorrow,” Mason said with a grin. “Nothing makes a better Christmas Morning breakfast.”

“Truer words have never been spoken,” David confirmed. 

“I’m just going to go to my room and lie in bed groaning at the ceiling for like, six hours. Until my stomach feels like it has room for air again.”

“Sounds good.” Jenna said with a smile. “I’ll see you in the morning for presents.”

“Video games later?” Mason asked as Liam got up. 

“Tomorrow? I’m tired.”

“Sounds good.”

Liam tried his best not to slam his door as he went to his room. Once the door was closed and he was alone, he yanked off his Christmas sweater, as he was no longer feeling the holiday spirit. 

He wanted to yell. He wanted to punch a hole in the wall, but he didn't want to attract attention, he didn't want to rain that kind of hell down on everyone's Christmas...and how  _ dare _ his father rain it down on his? 

Instead, Liam buried his face in his pillow, and he screamed. He screamed until he needed to lift his head up to breathe, red in the face, and sweaty. His heart was pounding in his chest, and he didn't know what to do. 

He felt like a teenager again, young, confused about life. He had spent so much time wondering why his father had never called, why he had never tried to get better and help them. He had been so angry about it, and with that, had come fear - fear that his stepdad would behave the same way that his biological father had. Slowly but surely, David had proven himself to be a good, kind, caring man, both for Jenna and Liam, and things had gotten better. Liam had the sort of family that he had always wanted, the kind he hadn't believed existed, and now Gary was back? Now he was trying to weasel his way into Liam's life after over a decade of silence, and Liam didn't want him there. 

He had had to make room for so much in his life. He had had to make room for all of America, it seemed, and a lot of the rest of the world too, and now his father wanted back in? He couldn't handle it. 

He picked his phone back up, looking at it, looking at the messages. His father texted him as though it hadn't been a million years since they had spoken. He texted as though he hadn't walked out, leaving Liam and his mother high and dry. He texted like his leaving hadn't been the best thing that had ever happened to them, and Liam was absolutely furious.

Furious, and hurt. As the anger rose in him, so did the pain. It caught in his chest, and caused a lump to develop in his throat, tears threatening to push their way out as he squeezed his eyes shut tight. 

He experienced dislike daily. He experienced  _ hatred _ daily, but this? This was different. This wasn't the sort of hatred that he could dismiss as someone just being ignorant. No, this was hatred aimed towards someone who had hurt him personally, and not just someone who was trying to get the upper ground politically. No, this was a man who was supposed to love Liam, and who had hurt him instead. 

How dare he try and work his way back into his life now?

Liam felt his breath growing shallow, and he wanted  _ someone _ . He knew that his mother, David, and Mason were all down the hall, but he couldn't bring this up to them, not yet. He wasn't ready to deal with it full stop, and he knew that if he mentioned it to them, he would have to face it head on. Then there was Hayden, but he didn’t really talk to her about this sort of stuff, he never had. It was probably a part of why they didn't ultimately work out - he hadn’t been able to tell her everything. And Brett, his best friend from high school? They hadn’t really spoken in a couple of years.

He wasn't ready for that yet. 

He hadn't even realized what number he dialed until a very, very tired sounding voice on the other end of the line picked up. 

"I swear to god, if you've got another fucking turkey-"

"Theo..." Liam's breathing was ragged, and his voice heavy with emotion. 

"My god. Are you alright? What's going on?"

"I'm sorry," Liam said. "I'm so sorry, I just...I didn't know who else to call, and I know that we're not really even friends, but I guess I don't really  _ have  _ too many friends, and the ones that I do have, they'll try to solve this, and I'm not sure that I'm ready to solve it, so I called you, because you're not going to solve my problems-"

"Ouch." 

"No, fuck, I didn't mean it like that," Liam said. "I just meant you're a million miles away, and you don't know most of the people that I know. You're distanced."

"It's alright, Liam," Theo said, his tone even, calm. "What's wrong?"

"My father called me." 

"Okay..."

"My  _ biological  _ father."

"Oh fuck."

"Yeah."

"I suppose I hadn't really thought about that. I mean, I always knew that David Geyer wasn't your biological father, but..."

"It's okay, I don't expect you to know everything about me." Liam sighed. 

He didn't. They weren't even really friends yet, they were just sort of starting to get to that part of...whatever this was. Even if Theo had paid attention to every aspect, Jenna tried to keep Gary's name out of her mouth. She didn't want to make their divorce prominent. Reminding people that she  _ was _ divorced, even if it was clearly for the best, hadn't been good for her numbers. The  _ country _ was the problem there, but Jenna was doing what she had to do for the end game, and Liam knew that.

"So," Theo said, his voice still scratchy with sleep. "What happened?"

Liam explained the missed phone calls and text messages. 

"He didn't even say that he was sorry!" Liam sighed. "He didn't even apologize, he just...told me to call him."

"Did you?" 

"NO!" Liam shook his head. 

"Are you going to?"

"I..." Liam shrugged before realizing that Theo couldn't see him. "I don't know. I want him out of my life. I don't even know how he got my number, but I don't want him coming near us, he-" Liam cut himself off.

This conversation was getting really heavy really quickly, and he didn't know what to say. 

"You can tell me, Liam," Theo said softly. "If you want to tell me, you can tell me."

"He was a drunk," Liam said, his voice quiet. "For all I know, he still is. When I was little, he would scream at my mother for the littlest thing, and if she wasn't there, he would scream at me. I was _ seven  _ when he finally left _. _ " He gulped. "I was seven, and I didn't understand."

There was more, there was worse, but Liam didn't think that he could talk about that right now. He was so close to a panic attack already, anger and frustration rising inside of him. 

"We are so much better without him," Liam said. "I never thought he would be a problem again."

"What are you afraid of?" Theo asked. 

"What?" Liam frowned, confused by the question. 

"With your father reaching out to you. What are you afraid of?"

"Oh." Liam paused. He hadn't really thought of it as fear. He had thought of it as him hating this man for all of the horrible things he had done, but Theo had picked up on something else in his tone of voice, something that Liam was very clearly feeling. "I'm not...sure."

"Well," Theo said. "Let's unpack it. Once you figure out what you're afraid of, you can figure out what you're going to do, you can make a plan."

"God, that's so logical, so fucking diplomatic, so..."

"Rational?" Theo supplemented. 

"Yeah."

"Well, you can't be rational right now, so let me do it for you.'

"Fuck."

"That wasn't an insult," Theo said quickly. "You're having a very understandable, very visceral, very emotional reaction to something big. If you  _ were _ able to be rational about that, I would be worried, but you've never been like that."

"Like what?"

"Robotic."

"Oh." And Liam remembered _ vividly _ calling Theo that when they had been in the kitchen at Kensington palace that first night. "I didn't-"

"We're not talking about me right now," Theo said. "We're talking about you. So what are you afraid of? Are you afraid that he is going to shout at you?"

"No, I...I guess..." Liam trailed off, lying on his back, looking up at his ceiling. He put Theo on speaker, and rested the phone on his chest. "I'm afraid that he's not sober." He paused. "Or maybe I'm afraid that he  _ is _ ."

"Explain that."

"Well, if he's not sober,” he said. "I'm afraid it will be more of the same. More of the abuse, the yelling, blaming me, blaming my mother for things that could never have been our fault - things that took both of us  _ years _ to stop blaming ourselves for once he left."

"And if he is sober?"

"I'm afraid...it will work. I'm afraid it will wear me down, and I'll let him back in, and leave myself vulnerable. I'm afraid he'll hurt me again."

"Well," Theo said. "I think that's quite a valid fear."

"I don't know if that's comforting..."

"I'm sorry. I'm not terribly good at this. The only experience I really have is with Tara, and to an extent, Corey, I suppose."

"It's okay, you don't...I don't even know why I called you."

"I will admit, I was surprised."

"Yeah..."

"Anyways." Theo cleared his throat. "So you're simultaneously afraid that he will be the man you once knew, and that he will be a better man?"

"Yes." Liam groaned. "Oh god, that's so fucking stupid!"

"No, no, Liam, it's not stupid at all. This man hurt you. He was supposed to be a loving, caring force in your life, and instead, he was harmful." Theo's tone was even, low, and to Liam's surprise, very, very calming. 

"I guess, but try telling that to my brain," Liam said. 

"I'm doing my best," Theo replied. "But I'm sorry - you said that you didn't want to solve this problem, and here I am-"

"I think I was wrong," Liam said. "Or...you're not solving it, exactly, you're just helping me break it down. If I can take this big problem, and make it smaller problems, you're right. I can figure out how to deal with it."

"Exactly," Theo said. "And I'm here."

"Isn't it like 2:45 in the morning?" Liam asked. 

"It doesn't matter," Theo replied. "I'm here."


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam and Mason survive Christmas, and prepare for their New Year's Eve party. While Liam ruminates on his changing relationship with Prince Theo, Mason makes a sly play for Corey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so with AO3 emails not going through right now, please make sure that you've read all previous chapters before this one, to make sure that it makes sense!

The next morning, when Liam woke up, it was to a pounding on his door. 

"Liam, sweetheart?" Jenna's voice carried through. "It's past 10, are you alright?"

"Oh fuck!" Liam jumped up, wondering why his alarm hadn’t gone off. When he reached for the charger on his bedside table, however, it was void of his phone. "Fuck." Liam swore, looking around, finally finding his cellphone mixed in with the sheets and blankets of his bed, completely dead. 

And that was when it came rushing back to him. He had talked to Theo for  _ hours  _ the night before. He had fallen asleep still on the phone with the other man, talking through every aspect of his father’s texts, and the impact that they had had on Liam. 

"Liam, honey, are you alright in there?"

"Yeah!" Liam called. "Just overslept, my phone died, alarm didn't go off." He plugged his phone into the charger, pressing the "on" button over and over again until it came back to life. 

There were three texts from Theo.

**Have you gone to sleep?**

**I certainly hope so.**

**Goodnight, Liam. Try and have a merry Christmas.**

Liam sighed, looking at the screen. 

Last night, he had poured his soul out to Theo, to someone that he barely knew, someone who, not long ago at all, he had severely disliked. Maybe even hated. 

Liam didn't like to admit that he was wrong, and most of the time, he would rather eat a million blood puddings than his words. In this case, however, he was staring right down the barrel of being wrong, and he actually felt okay about it. 

He had fallen asleep in his jeans, and as his phone charged a bit, he swapped them out for a pair of pajama pants, and an old Beacon Hills Lacrosse t-shirt, so that it would look as though he had slept in them, and opened his door. 

"Uh, sorry mom," he said. 

"It's alright, you're okay, though? You left the table full, and then we didn't hear from you...are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, fine." He nodded. "Just over did it on the ham, followed by over doing it on the sleep. That's all." He leaned in, pulling his mother into a tight hug. "Merry Christmas, mom."

Jenna, slightly surprised by the outward gesture of affection, returned the hug, gently patting her son's back. 

"You sure you're alright?"

"Yeah." Liam smiled, looking up at her. "I am. I'll be down in a minute, okay?"

"Alright." Jenna turned to walk away. 

"Mom?" Liam asked. 

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"I love you."

Jenna turned back around fully, tilting her head to the side. "I love you, too, Li." She dropped a kiss to the top of his head. "And when you're ready to tell me what's going on, I'm ready to listen."

Liam paused. He should have known better than to try and pretend like everything was fine. His mother knew him so well. She had been there for every big moment in his life, good or bad, and she had never let their relationship take a backseat to her career, even when she had become the most powerful woman in the country. 

"I will." Liam smiled. "After Christmas, okay?"

"Like I said." Jenna smiled at her son. "Whenever you're ready."

She turned back, walking down the hallway, and Liam closed his door, going to his bed and picking up his phone. With a deep breath, he opened up his  _ missed calls _ , his hand hovering over the unsaved number that had called him so many times last night. 

After staring at it for a moment, he sighed, closing it, and switching to text messages. 

**_I'm not ready to talk to you. You've been gone for the last 14 years, and I'm not ready to talk to you again just yet. If you're not sober, don't bother replying to this message at all, and if you are sober? Well. We'll see._ **

Liam held his breath as he pressed send, firing off the message. He then turned his phone off and grabbed his slippers and a hoodie before heading downstairs, leaving his phone behind. 

This was a time to be with his family. The family that loved him, the family that had been there, and he wasn't going to let his biological father get in the way of that.   
  
***   
  
"Okay, I'm sorry..." Mason said. "Your _ dad _ called you?!"

"No, the sperm donor who gifted me with abandonment issues and anger problems called me," Liam corrected, his eyes locked on the screen in front of him as King Boo tore around a tight corner on Rainbow Road. 

"That's intense," Mason said, mashing his buttons, trying to get his Yoshi to keep up with Liam's ghost. 

"Yup." Liam nodded. 

"Is that why you left the table last night?"

"Yup."

"And you just went to your room and thought about it?"

"Well." He bit his lip. "Actually...I called Theo."

"You  _ what? _ " Mason turned to face Liam, not even noticing as Yoshi went careening off the edge and into the vast unknown that was the space around Rainbow Road. " _ Prince _ Theo?"

"Yeah." Liam sighed, still keeping his eyes focused on the game. 

"You got upset about your dad...and you called Prince Theo?"

"Well yeah." Liam shrugged. "We've sort of been...talking."

"I thought you hated him," Mason frowned. 

"I did," Liam admitted. "And, I don't know. Now I don't. When I went to England, there were just...things I learned about him."

"He _ totally _ has a kid, doesn't he?!" Mason exclaimed. 

"No, no, or at least I don't think so, I don't know. I just...he's not the stuck up prissy pants that I thought he was, at least not exclusively. That stuff on the fact sheet? That wasn't who he is. At least not all of who he is."

"I'm sorry," Mason said. "Did you make a _ friend _ ?"

"I mean..." he shrugged. "I guess so?"

"And you talked to him about your scumbag father?"

"I..." Liam sighed as King Boo soared across the finish line. "I guess I did, yeah."

He finally set down his video game controller, and looked at Mason.

"I don't know. We're so different, the two of us, but at the same time, there are parts of our lives that just overlap. There are things that he understands that-"

"That no one else can quite relate to?" Mason asked. 

"Well...I guess so, yeah. I mean, you're similar, but you're so good at this stuff. The politics, this life, it all comes so naturally to you. You wanted this before our parents were even running. You always knew how to hold yourself, and I..."

"No, I get it," Mason said with a smile. "It's not the same."

"Well, and I mean, like he technically knows my mom, and you, and David, but at the same time, he doesn't  _ actually  _ know anyone else I know, so it just sort of feels...easier. Like, I wanted to talk to you last night, I did, but I knew you'd have trouble hiding it from my mom, and I'm just not ready to tell her yet. I want to try and deal with it myself first."

"Have you checked your phone? Did he text you back?"

"I'm afraid to look."

"I'm right here," Mason said. "Go look."

"Yeah." Liam sighed, setting his controller down. His throat was dry, and his heart was hammering against his chest as he turned his phone on, watching as it booted up. 

Mason gave Liam his space, sitting back on the floor by where they had been parked. He wanted to be there to support Liam, but at the same time, he didn't want to suffocate him. 

He had several text messages - friends, friends of friends, casual acquaintances, all wishing him a merry Christmas, and many of them, he was sure, only doing so in hopes that he would send one in return, and they could say that they had received a text from the First Son, whom they had only met through happenstance. 

There was nothing from his father. 

There was, however, a text from Theo. It was a picture of Theo, in a silk red and green pajama set with a green bow on top of his head receiving a lick on the nose from his dog, Mercury, under the mistletoe. 

This wasn't the kind of thing that Theo would post to his Instagram. This wasn't the sort of thing that he would have published in one of the newspapers or magazines. 

It was, however, incredibly endearing. 

**Happy Christmas, Liam. I hope you're feeling better.**

Liam stared at the text for longer than he felt was acceptable, but he couldn't tear himself away from it. 

"Is it him?" Mason asked finally. "Is it your dad?"

"Um, no." Liam shook his head, closing his phone so that the screen went dark. "Theo, actually."

"Oh?" Mason looked at Liam, one eyebrow raised. 

"Yeah, just wishing me a merry Christmas, except he said "Happy Christmas" instead, which is...infuriating." But there was no real malice behind his words. 

"Uh huh," Mason said with a grin. "Sure it is."

"Shut up." Liam rolled his eyes. 

"Only today. Just because you're having a rough day."

"Softie."

"Sometimes." Mason shrugged. "But for real, I'm glad you two are getting along. The animosity between you two has always been so weird to me, I mean, I get that he's really different from you, different from us, but..."

"You weren't there." Liam sighed. "When we met, he was...a prick. He was  _ such _ a prick. He looked right at Derek - that's his equerry, and like, _ immediately _ after shaking my hand, he asked Derek to get me away from him."

"I know," Mason said. "You've told me. Several times, but also...that was a little while ago, maybe he had his reasons."

"Sure," Liam scoffed. 

"I don't know. You know the guy, not me."

"I'm still figuring him out," Liam admitted. 

"Fair enough." Mason nodded, lifting his video game controller. "Now get back here, I need a rematch. You cheated."

"What? I did not!"

"You did! You waited until we were on the second lap of Rainbow fucking Road to drop a massive bomb about your life!"

"That's not cheating," Liam said with a smile. "That's strategy."

"Fuck you."

"Sorry." Liam grinned. "You're not my type."

***   
  
Christmas ended, and Mason pulled Liam into a world of distraction. Their New Year's Eve/Liam's Graduation Party was just around the corner, and there was still a lot to be done. 

Mason oversaw the decorating of the ballroom, and Liam went over the NDAs and waivers that everyone was going to have to sign either at the door in advance - waivers to make sure that the White House couldn't be held responsible for any dumb shit any of these kids did while drunk, and NDAs to make sure that no one talked about any of the dumb shit  _ Liam _ did while  _ he _ was drunk. It was good for their brand for Liam to have a party with the who's who of young America. It was not good for Liam's face to be on the front page of the  _ Star _ , drunk out of his mind. 

"Um...Mason?" Liam called out. 

It was the day before their party, and Liam was going over the guest list that had been sent over by the staff. This was the final version. No one else was allowed to RSVP at this point, and that was that. 

"Yeah, buddy?" Liam popped his head into the room. 

"Why is Theo on here?"

"Oh." Mason shrugged. "I mean, I invited him."

"You  _ what _ ?" Liam looked up at him. 

"It was after what you said on Christmas!" he said quickly. "We're mutuals on Instagram, and I dropped him a DM, and he replied saying that he'd love to come, so I had Stiles send the paperwork to Derek, and...yeah." He shrugged. "He's coming."

"Why did you do that?" Liam asked. 

"Because other than me, Liam, you don't have friends."

"I do  _ so _ have friends!" he said. "I have Hayden!"

"You and Hayden talk like...five times a year. Yeah, you're close, but it’s like from a distance close. You don’t call her to get a beer on the weekend.”

"Okay," Liam said. "Well, what about Brett?"

"Brett who you never talk to?"

"We're still friends!" Liam insisted. "We don't have to talk every day."

"You didn't invite him to the party."

"He wouldn't enjoy it," Liam argued. 

"You haven't talked to him in two years."

"Okay, well what about Scott?" Liam challenged.

"Congressman McCall doesn't count, and you and I both know it. Yeah, you're friendly, but it's a working relationship, just like everyone else on this guest list."

"Fuck." Liam sighed. "I  _ don't _ have friends."

"Well you have me, and besides," Mason smiled. "That's why we invited Theo."

"Why  _ you _ invited Theo," Liam corrected. 

"Fine. Call it what you will."

"I'll call it you inviting Theo. I had nothing to do with this."

"It will sell your friendship, so really, you should shut up and thank me."

Liam had to admit, Mason had him there.

"Fair enough." Liam went back to look at the list, noting the +1 next to Theo's name. "Hey, Mase?" Liam asked as Mason turned to get back to the decorations. 

"Yeah?"

"Who's he bringing with him?"

Undoubtedly some gorgeous super model, or elegant noblewoman. Theo was always spotted on dates with the most beautiful women, every bit as immaculate and perfect as he was. 

"Oh." Mason looked down at the ground, trying not to blush. "Um, Corey Bryant."

"Oh," Liam tossed the list on the table, looking up at the other man. "You invited Theo for  _ me _ , huh?" 

"I did!" Mason said. "I didn't tell him to bring Corey! I just told him he could bring a plus one, and-"

"And hoped that he would throw you a literal bone?"

"I mean," Mason shrugged. "Okay, yes, sure, why not? I maybe hoped that Corey would show up, but that wasn't my intention when it came to inviting Theo. That, I did for you."

Liam narrowed his eyes, staring at his best friend. 

"Uh huh..."

"I did!" Mason said. "You looked...a little fucked up after you never heard back from your father, and I just wanted to surround you with the people that make you feel comfortable. Apparently that now includes Prince Theo, so I think that he should be there. And if his incredibly hot, sweet, caring best friend shows up for me to flirt with, yeah, that's a perk, but this wasn't about me, okay?" Mason walked over to his friend. "It was about you."

Liam smiled. "You're a really good friend."

"Yeah." Mason grinned. "I really am."

  
***  
  
Still, just because Theo submitted the paperwork for himself and for Corey didn't mean that they were going to show up, and Liam was too consumed with the party planning and trying to dodge his mother's questioning looks to reach out to Theo.

However, the next day - the day of the party - Liam noticed a post on Corey's Instagram. 

It was a picture of himself and Theo on a private jet, both in comfortable looking traveling clothes. Theo was asleep, his head resting against a soft looking pillow, and Corey was smiling big, cheesing for the camera. 

**USA BOUND! #CongraduationsLiam #RestingUpToParty.**

Liam couldn't help but smile, and he reached for his phone, texting Theo. 

**_I'm going to be wearing a midnight blue velvet suit tonight. If you try and show me up, I'll have you removed by the Secret Service._ **

The reply didn't come right away, and Liam had all but forgotten that he had even sent the text when, a couple of hours later, he heard his phone chime with an alert. 

**I wouldn't dare. After all, you are an incredibly volatile young man.**

**_What can I say? You bring it out in me._ **

**Sure that's not just the American way?**

**_I will have you barred from the country._ **

**You will not. Couldn't if you wanted to.**

**_Someone's on a power trip._ **

**Yes, someone really is. I'll let it go, though, since that someone had a rough Christmas.**

And Liam? He didn't know how to respond to that. Instead, he just set his phone down and went to take a shower. After all, it would take ages for him to get ready for the party. He had to look his absolute best for the masses. This was the first party that  _ he  _ had personally hosted at the White House, and that was kind of a big deal. 

If it was a flop, no one would ever let him host a party again, and if it was a success? Well, even without heavy details being released, that would still not be good for his mother's campaign. 

Or Liam's self esteem.

***   
  
"I'm going to throw up," Liam said, looking over at Mason while stylists fussed over both of them. 

"No, no you're not," Mason said. "Because this is _ your _ party, and sure, maybe it's your first big blow out, but think about it. If this is a success, we can do it again next year, and the year after. The Liam Dunbar New Year’s Eve Party could be a total thing for the youth of America!" Mason smiled. "We could make it a blow out fundraiser - think of how great that could be for your mom's campaign?"

Liam furrowed his brow, looking at his best friend. 

"How long have you been thinking about this?" he asked. 

"Since we first got the idea for the party a few months ago."

"Does your political brain ever stop?" Liam asked. 

"Not really," Mason admitted. "I mean, sometimes, but you know, when there's the potential for something, it's hard to look away from it, and this? This has potential. People will keep back any of the bad details due to the NDAs, but hopefully, by tomorrow, there will be millions of people talking about how they wished they had been here. Everyone that RSVP'd no is going to regret it."

"You're getting some sort of perverse pleasure out of this, aren't you?" Liam asked. 

"What can I say?" Mason asked, straightening his own bowtie as someone else ran a lint roller down the back of his suit. "Now, how do I look?"

"Honestly?" Liam asked, taking in his friend's appearance. "You look fantastic." 

Mason was wearing a suit by the same designer as Liam, and a similar style, but instead of being midnight blue, Mason's was a deep purple. He had paired the look with classic black dress shoes, and a classic black bow tie. Sure, Mason was a sharp dresser, and when push came to shove, so was Liam, but he felt like they had both really outdone themselves. 

"Thank you." Mason grinned, tugging his jacket down one last time to make sure that it was perfect. You don't look so bad yourself."

"Yeah?" Nervously, Liam turned, looking at the full body mirror. "I should have gotten a haircut first," he sighed. His usually fairly cropped hair had grown out a little in the last couple of months, and while it was pushed off his face and styled, it was still a little longer than his usual preference. Still, the midnight blue suit brought out his pale blue eyes, and where Mason had opted for a bowtie, Liam had gone with the classic black skinny tie, and shiny black shoes that almost matched Mason's. 

Mason walked over, slinging an arm around him. "Yup." He grinned. "We both look absolutely fantastic. Now, let's go get a whiskey to put those nerves to bed, hm? You've got a 300-or-so guest party to host."

"Don't remind me," Liam groaned. 

The boys thanked their stylists profusely, and Liam allowed Mason to drag him to the ballroom. It was still void of guests, but the DJ was readying her station. There were three bars set up around the room, all stocked and staffed to serve the hottest young 20 somethings of Capitol Hill, a few starlets, and other young folks of importance. Liam wondered if they knew they were going to be serving a prince. 

Corey's post on Instagram had made it clear that Theo was going to be at this party, but they hadn't released a press statement about it. 

This was a brilliant move on Mason's part, Liam had to admit. Having Theo at this party would solidify their friendship in the eyes of the public, and not releasing a formal statement about it in advance wouldn't make it look like a publicity grab. 

This wasn't an international event. Theo and Corey were the only two people flying in from out of the country, as far as Liam knew, and he was sure that it would be good for their relations. 

Sure, their weekend together in England had done a lot to tamp out the flames of dispute and gossip between their countries, but there were some people who were calling them out for exactly what it had been - a publicity stunt to cool heating tensions between nations.

It wasn't that anymore, though. At least Liam didn't think it was. He texted Theo a lot. They had talked on the phone a couple of times now. He had opened himself up to the other man. They were friends now. 

At least Liam thought that they were. At the very least, they were headed in that direction, and it was strange. At this time last year, he would have called Theo an inconsequential person in his life, and Mason would have called Theo Liam’s enemy. Now? Now things were changing. 

"Doesn't it look great?" Mason asked. 

"Huh?" Liam was pulled from his thoughts by the words, but had missed the question. "The ballroom, you ass. Doesn't it look awesome?"

"Oh, yeah."

And it did. Mason had stuck with a classic New Year's Eve color palette of silver and gold, and dark blue, and honestly, the place looked incredible. 

"Okay, come on!" Mason dragged Liam over to the bar, ordering them each a top shelf scotch to get started with while they waited for their guests to begin arriving. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I want to say thank you to everyone who has been reading this story for the past two weeks! I am having a blast writing it, and I know that this chapter is a little slower than some of the others, but I hope you stick with me!


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theo and Corey show up at Liam and Mason's New Years' Eve party, and things get a little intense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case anyone else missed emails from AO3, make sure that you've read the chapters leading up to this one so that it all makes sense! Also, thank you so, so much to Ell_002 for any and all French translations in this chapter, and others!
> 
> Also, you are all the absolute best readers in the world and I am so, so glad to have you.

Liam felt bolstered by the drink in his hand. As the guests started to trickle in, and the music got going, Liam started to feel more and more comfortable. 

He liked parties, and this one was all his. He and Mason had curated a perfect playlist designed for dancing, with a couple of slow songs thrown in there for the couples that wanted to get cozy on New Year's Eve. Champagne and cocktails were flowing, and instantly, people were having fun. 

"This is going so well!" Mason grinned, walking over to Liam about an hour into the party. "Holy shit, like so good! Everyone is having a blast, and look who just walked in?"

Liam followed where Mason was pointing, and a grin spread across his face. Hayden Romero had just walked in, dressed to kill in a red dress with a slit running dangerously high up the side. 

"Hayden!" Liam ran over to her, pulling her into a tight hug. He hadn't seen her in awhile, and she was a comforting sight.

There were a lot of people at the party that he knew, sure, but Hayden had a special place in his heart, and he was so glad that they had been able to maintain their friendship. 

"Liam! This is great!" She grinned. "Congratulations on graduating." She held out a card to him, and rather than ask her to place it in the basket with the other cards, he opened it right away. 

"Gotcha!" She laughed as the card shot out glitter in silver and gold. "Don't worry, I made sure it matched Mason's color scheme."

"Well aren't you thoughtful," Liam said, laughing as he brushed the majority, but certainly not all, of the glitter from his suit. 

"Comes with a donation to Feed America, too," she said with a smile. 

Liam had requested that his guests donate to a list of charities that he supported rather than bring him gifts, and he was pleased that Hayden had done so. 

"Thank you," he said, walking over to place the card in the basket himself, though he was glad he had opened it now, and not later in his bedroom. "Come on, we have to get you a drink!"

"Well I'm certainly not going to be the one stopping you!"

Liam took her hand, leading her over to the nearest bar, getting a glass of champagne for each of them. 

They danced together, they drank, caught up on life, and Liam felt much more at ease. 

"Oh my god," Hayden looked to Liam. "Is that Prince Theodore?!"

Liam turned to look behind him, and sure enough, there were Theo and Corey. 

Corey was wearing a pale pink suit with a lavender shirt that honestly, Liam wasn't sure many people would be able to pull off, but Corey looked great in, and Theo? Well, he looked like a Tom Ford runway model in an immaculate, classic black suit with a white shirt. 

"Yes." Liam was unable to stop the smile that spread across his face as he took in the sight of Theo and Corey. "Yes, it is. Do you mind? Will you excuse me?" He asked. 

"Of course." Hayden smiled. "I've got my eye on the new Yankees recruit over there, anyways."

Liam nodded, leaving Hayden to flirt with the handsome baseball player as he walked over to greet his guests. 

"Hi." Liam smiled. "You made it."

"Well, I figured since you made an absolute mockery of my graduation party, it would be only fair if I were to come and do the same for you."

"You wouldn't dare," Liam said. 

"Oh yes." Theo nodded, his expression serious. "I've been plotting my revenge for months - now where is the gift table? I believe I have a First Son to knock into it?"

"Joke's on you," Liam grinned. "There is no gift table, just a basket for cards by the coat room. I asked for charity donations only to avoid this exact situation."

"You little menace," Theo said, though the hint of a smile was evident on his face. "But if you only want donations, I suppose I should keep this for myself?" He pulled a small, but elegantly wrapped box from his jacket pocket. 

"No, absolutely not." Liam shook his head. "If you got me a gift, I want it!"

"Greedy, greedy, greedy," Theo said with a smile, holding the box just out of easy reach for Liam. 

"Please?" Liam asked, looking up at the taller man, greatly resenting the few inches that Theo had on him. 

"Oh my god," Theo said. "I didn't realize that word was in your vocabulary!" He handed the box over to Liam. 

"Oh, and  _ I'm _ the menace," Liam said, rolling his eyes. "Should I open it now?" he asked. 

"If you like."

"I like." He undid the silver ribbon over the gold paper, and carefully removed the wrapping, revealing a jewelry box.

He lifted the lid of the box, expecting to see something so classically Prince Theo - a nice watch, perhaps an unnecessarily fancy tie clip, or set of cufflinks, but no. Staring up at him from the box was the ugliest, gaudiest piece of costume jewelry he had ever seen. It was a brooch constructed of fake gems in the shape of a turkey. 

"Oh, this is deeply horrible!" Liam said with a wide smile. 

"To commemorate your unforgettable night with Sir Gobbles," Theo explained. 

And maybe it was the champagne, the whiskey, but there was something about the way that Theo chuckled at his own gag gift that made Liam feel, well,  _ good _ .

He would never have guessed that Theo was capable of something like this, bringing a joke gift to a party, or really even making a joke. It was clear to him, as he admired the truly terrible brooch, that there were layers to Theo that Liam had no idea of, but he was starting to peel them back. 

There was something incredibly satisfying about that. 

"Here, hold this?" Liam said, taking the pin out of the box and handing the empty container to Theo. 

"What are you doing?" Theo asked. 

"Putting it on," he said, undoing the clasp of the brooch, and fumbling to pin it to the lapel of his jacket. 

"Are you kidding? Liam-"

"Shush," Liam said. "This is my party, and my pin, and I'm going to wear it."

"You've been drinking," Theo observed. 

"Of course I have. It's a New Year's Eve party - in fact," he said once the pin was fastened to his jacket. "We need to catch you up. Shots?"

"I don't do shots," Theo said. 

"Of course you don't." Liam groaned, rolling his eyes. 

"I should see if Corey needs anything," Theo said. 

"I think Corey has all he needs," Liam pointed out, gesturing to the dance floor. 

Corey and Mason were pressed against each other, each holding a drink as they danced together in a way that suggested they were oblivious to the rest of the world. 

"Ah." Theo nodded. "Yes, well, it seems our best friends have a certain...connection."

"They're going to be in love by the end of the night," Liam said with a smile. He knew that Mason had a thing for Corey, and to see it coming to fruition, well, there was something sort of beautiful about that. "And  _ you  _ need a drink. If not shots, scotch."

"Well, I can't argue against that."

And with that, Theo followed Liam to the bar.

The party raged on, and Liam had to admit that he was having the time of his life.

Theo stayed close to him, and they hit the dance floor - not dancing together, just in the same space. And honestly, Liam wasn't even sure that he could call what Theo was doing  _ dancing  _ at all. 

Everyone was moving their hips and shoulders, and Theo? He was sort of bobbing his head a little. 

"Oh come  _ on _ !" Liam said, definitely well on the road to hammered. "That's not how you dance to this kind of music!"

"I can see that, however, I'm not sure how to dance to this kind of music...or if I want to," Theo admitted. 

"Oh come on! You have never been in a sweaty high school gym while a bunch of teenagers grind to Katy Perry and it shows."

"And that's a bad thing?" Theo asked with a laugh, taking a sip from the glass of scotch in his hands - his fourth, by Liam's count...but Liam's count could well be off. After all, he had lost track of his own drinks.

"Yes! This is supposed to be fun! You look like you're being tortured!"

"I'm having a wonderful time!" Theo said, and the smile on his face did look genuine, Liam had to admit. "I just don't think I've ever been to a party like this - did that man just say 'Superman that ho?'" he asked, referring to the song playing. 

"Yes. Soulja Boy is a staple."

"What does that even mean?" Theo asked. 

"You don't want to know," Liam replied with an easy grin. "Come on, you're going to dance. "HAYDEN!" He called out to his friend, who seemed to be, at least currently, void of her baseball player. 

He grabbed her by the arm, dragging her over. 

"Theo doesn't know how to dance!"

"Oh, okay." Hayden smiled, looking up at the prince. "Um, hi, I'm Hayden."

"Theo," he said, taking her hand and kissing it. 

_ Oh for the love of god,  _ Liam thought. 

"No, no, no!" Liam shook his head. "This is not your fancy tra la la, string quartet party! We're  _ dancing _ !" With a smile, Liam pulled Hayden close. "Like this."

If Liam were sober, he might have thought to try and explain what he and Hayden were, but he didn't. And he didn't think about the chemistry that radiated off of them as they danced. 

"Come on!" He called out to Theo. "Find a girl! Come dance! There are a million girls here who would love to dance with a Prince!"

"I think I'll find another drink first," Theo said, and Liam, thanks to the drink, was oblivious to the discomfort on Theo's face as he walked away. 

"I can't believe you're friends with a prince," Hayden said.

"I know, right?" He laughed. "It's crazy. It's weird. But hey, you're about to be dating a baseball player! It looked as though your flirting was going well!"

"It was. It is. He had to go to a different party. Hell, he even asked me to go with him, but I said I had to stay here, you know...leave him wanting more, and support my buddy." She smiled. "I gave him my number, he already texted me to ask me out."

"Home run!" Liam cheered. 

"You are such a dork." Hayden laughed. 

"I know." Liam smiled. "You were always too good for me."

"I know." She leaned against him as the song switched to one of the slower jams they had put on the playlist. "But I wouldn't trade our attempt to date for anything."

"I wish we talked more," Liam admitted. 

"Yeah." She sighed. "Me too, and we will, alright? But for tonight, we're going to have fun - no getting somber about the past, okay? What we had was awesome, what we have now is even more awesome, and we're going to drink, we're going to dance, and you're going to kiss me at midnight, unless you have someone better to kiss."

"Nope, no one," Liam said with a grin. "And I'm glad you said that, because it was going to be incredibly awkward for me if I didn't have someone at midnight, since it looks like Mason will be preoccupied."

"Yeah, I tried to talk to him and Corey, but I don't think they could even hear me."

"Yeah." Liam smiled, watching Mason and Corey slow dancing from over Hayden's shoulder. 

Mason had his arms around Corey, and Corey's head was resting on Mason's chest as they swayed. It was clear that they were both drunk, but so very happy to be together. 

"They're in love," Liam smiled. "Or they will be."

"Oh, no," Hayden said as they turned so that she was now facing Mason and Corey. "They're in love."

"Yeah..." Liam's train of thought was broken, however, as he caught sight of Theo. 

Rather than another scotch, Theo had somehow convinced one of the bartenders to give him his own bottle of champagne. Liam couldn't help but notice how, even drinking straight out of a bottle of Dom Perignon, Theo still looked so incredibly elegant and classy. 

_ Finally, _ he thought.  _ Maybe he'll lighten up now. _

When the slow song was over, Liam made his way to the bar, getting another drink for himself - this time one of the signature cocktails. While he waited for his drink, he leaned against the bar, looking at Theo. 

"Someone's getting in the party spirit!" Liam said with a grin. 

"Well, I figured if I was going to  _ get low _ , as they say, I could use a little help."

"Oh my god, yes, please.  _ Please _ get low. I need to see this."

"You are a goblin," Theo said, though there was a smile on his face as he raised the champagne bottle to take a swig. 

The champagne did the trick, apparently, and as it neared midnight, the boys hit the dance floor. Corey and Mason seemed to have rallied a little, and they were all dancing in a group. It was Liam, Corey, Mason, Hayden, and Theo, and Liam was on cloud nine. Sure, there were over 200 other people surrounding them, but he felt safe here, happy in his own little bubble with his friends. 

Because he had _ friends.  _

Even Theo seemed to be having a good time, loosening up as Hayden gave him a lesson in how to keep his hips from lying as Shakira blasted through the speakers. 

The DJ stopped playing shortly before midnight, and Liam and Mason decided to take a leaf out of Prince Theo's book, making sure everyone in their little group had their own bottle of champagne to drink from as they counted down. 

The party was loud, everyone cheering as it hit midnight. Mason dove at Corey, practically knocking him to the ground as they kissed, and Liam put an arm around Hayden, drawing her in close. 

He had planned for this kiss to be simple, chaste, but with as drunk as they both were it was more sloppy and comic than anything else, and both of them were laughing when they pulled away. 

Mason and Corey were still making out aggressively, their champagne spilling slightly as they did so, but when Liam turned to toast Theo, all he saw was the prince disappearing into the crowd. 

"Huh." Liam shrugged, figuring that the prince probably needed to use the bathroom, or get a refill. 

After midnight, the party became even more wild, and Liam was sure that he would be hurting tomorrow, but tonight? Tonight he was having fun, and that was his primary focus. 

The next hour flew by in a blur of dancing, and champagne settling into him. He didn't realize for quite some time that Theo had never made it back to their group. 

"HEY!" Liam grabbed Corey as Mason and Hayden went to get drinks, and no doubt, gossip a bit. "THEO?"

"Oh." Corey looked around, reaching up, carding a hand through his hair. "No idea. Fuck."

The look in Corey's eyes wasn't one that Liam had been expecting. He looked worried, panicked, almost. 

"I'll find him," Liam said, patting Corey on the shoulder. "You have fun with Mason. I'll find Theo."

"Okay." Corey bit his lip. "I...I'll stay here, okay? Come get me if you can't find him."

"I will." Liam nodded, and began his search. 

Getting around the ballroom wasn't as difficult as he had expected. Most of the guests were too drunk to care that the First Son was walking by them, and he made it through with relative ease.

Theo, however, was nowhere to be seen. With a sigh, Liam started to peek out the doors, and sure enough, he saw the prince on a patio outside of the ballroom. 

"What the - it's fucking freezing!" Liam sighed, opening the door to the private patio himself. 

Were he sober, he might have cared more that it was cold, and that snow was probably not good for his dress shoes, but he was warm from the alcohol, and his shoes were far from the foreground of his mind. 

"The hell are you doing out here?" Liam asked. "The party's in there."

"What would you do? If you weren't the first son? If you weren't going to go into campaign strategy, or something like that?"

"What?" Liam frowned. What the hell was Theo talking about?

"If you were normal. If this wasn't your life."

"Psht." Liam laughed. "Stud Lacrosse player, obviously."

"I'm serious," Theo said, turning for the first time to face Liam. He was still holding a bottle of champagne, and he raised it to his lips, leaning against the wall. 

The noises from the party were gone, and Liam situated himself in the corner of the patio, away from the view of anyone potentially looking out through the door. 

"Oh." Liam bit his lip. "I don't know," he said honestly. "I mean, campaign strategy feels good. It feels right."

"Oh." 

"What...would you do? If you weren't a prince?"

"I'd be a writer," Theo said without skipping a beat. "Like my father. Or at least I would try to be."

"Oh." Liam didn't know what to say to that. They hadn't talked about Theo's father, and Liam had never admitted to overhearing Theo's conversation with Gloria at the children's hospital. 

"Do you ever wonder what it's like?" Theo asked. "To be normal? Just another person, who can walk down a crowded street and not be noticed?"

"Uh...well I mean, I  _ was  _ one of those people," Liam said. "For a long time."

"Oh, right," Theo said. "Must've been nice."

"It had its perks." Liam shifted in the snow, realizing for the first time that, apparently, Theo is a maudlin drunk.

"I'd like to know that feeling," Theo said. "I would like to be able to write without it being deemed unsuitable for a prince." He took another swig of champagne. "I'd probably date more, too."

"What?" Liam frowned. "You date all the time, you're on the pages of  _ People _ magazine with a new starlet like, every other week!"

"Oh come on, Liam," Theo said. "You know as well as I do how easy it is to plant those photographers, to plant those stories."

"What?" Liam raised an eyebrow, the alcohol causing his brain to buzz. "So you mean...those dates? They're not...real?"

"Models? Actresses? Hardly my type," Theo said with a dry laugh. 

"Oh." Liam was surprised by that. Weren't models and actresses everyone's type? "Well what is your type, then?"

"Ha." Theo laughed, but it was humorless as he raised the bottle to his lips. 

"That is...not an answer," Liam said. "Come on, you have to have access to your type! You're a prince! Oh god, you're hot for punk rockers, aren't you. I bet you could get a date with Juliet Simms! She'd totally leave her husband for you, I bet."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Theo admitted. 

"Yeah, that's...fair." After all, Liam wasn't really sure what he was talking about either. 

"But yes. I have...access to my type, it’s just...not the same."

"Okay, now _ I _ don't know what  _ you're _ talking about," Liam confessed. 

"You really don't know?" Theo asked. 

"Swear to god, I'm not even sure you're speaking English right now."

"Peut-être pas," Theo replied.  _ Maybe I’m not. _

"Okay, well that's just not nice, I  _ know _ that's not English. French, maybe?"

"French," Theo confirmed. 

"You're a dick," Liam groaned. 

"And you're a complete idiot."

"Am not! I knew it was French!" Liam argued. 

"You suspected it was French. You got lucky," Theo countered. "And besides, that's not what I was talking about."

"Oh." Liam sighed. "Well, that takes me right back to being confused again."

"Liam Dunbar, you are a level of oblivious that I did not think possible in a cognoscente human being."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Liam asked, offended. 

"Oh for the love of Christ!" 

Theo sighed and leaned forwards, grabbing Liam by his skinny black tie, and pulling him into a kiss. 

Theo's lips were warm and soft, despite the cold, and tasted of champagne and scotch, but even so, Liam wasn't anything but surprised by the kiss. Before he got the chance to even process what was happening, however, Theo's hand dropped from his tie, and the champagne bottle he was holding fell to the snow, empty. 

"Fuck, fuck! I'm so sorry," Theo muttered.

"I..." Liam raised a hand to his own lips to touch them, as though not sure that they were even there.

By the time he looked back up, however, Theo was gone. 

"Oh shit." Liam didn't bother picking up the dropped bottle as he headed back into the party himself, eyes searching the crowd for Theo. 

He spotted him by the far door, Corey behind him, and Derek, flanked by a couple of PPOs, guiding him from the ballroom. 

Liam wanted to go after him, but he stopped himself. What would he say? He was drunk off his ass, and he had no response for what had just happened anyways, as it had been so well and truly unexpected. 

With a sigh, he made his way towards the bathroom, closing himself in one of the stalls. He looked down at the stupid turkey brooch on his lapel, and touched his fingers to his lips again. 

" _ Oh, _ " he says finally, to no one but himself. "Motherfucker."


	10. Chapter Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam heads down the road of self discovery, largely pertaining to his own sexual identity, and seeks help from a former mentor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is Theo!light, but I think this chapter is important for Liam's journey as a character, so please try and bear with me!

When Liam had gone to bed after the party, in the wee hours of the morning, he had hoped that he would wake up not remembering. At least not certain parts of it. If he remembered what happened out on the patio, in the snow, he would have to deal with it, but if he let alcohol consume him, and erase it from his mind? Well, that would solve that problem, and he would be none the wiser. 

But some things have a way of working out as you want them to, and others don't, and when Liam awoke the next morning, he had a pounding headache, a queasy stomach, and a full memory.

Fortunately, Liam had the hangover to fall back on. He told his mother that he wasn't feeling well, and while he didn't get a sense of sympathy from her, he didn't really get the feeling that she was mad, either. He kept his phone off, and lay in bed, alternating between drinking water, and trying to nap. 

After all, he couldn't deal with his thoughts while his head was pounding like that.

A part of him wondered if he had made the whole thing up in a drunken stupor, but why would he have done that? He was straight, so why would he have drunkenly hallucinated making out with the Prince of England?

He wouldn't have.

Also, were drunken hallucinations even a thing? Around 3 in the afternoon, Liam's hangover finally began to dissipate, and he felt well enough to turn his phone on and check for messages. 

There were a lot of them; several from people that had been at the party, one from Hayden, and about 15 from Mason, but none from Theo. 

With a sigh, Liam threw his phone onto the bed next to him, and left all of the messages unanswered. 

How unfair of Theo was this? To throw this at him the way that he did? He hadn't even known that Theo was gay, or liked boys, or whatever the hell was going on!

Even if Theo  _ was _ gay, why had he kissed him? They were friendly, yeah, but they also bickered a lot, and there was tension between them. 

Apparently, Theo had different views on that tension.

_ Oh god, _ Liam thought to himself.  _ I bet this was why I had to sign that crazy NDA! _

That made sense. There was no kid, no illegitimate, half-royal baby running around Kensington Palace somewhere, keeping the prince up at night. He liked boys. He was the Prince of England, a figurehead for a country with some very archaic practices in place, and he liked boys. 

Liam couldn't help but think about all of the hate that Mason got for being gay, for being black, for being  _ Mason _ , and he felt sick to his stomach. Mason didn't let those things get to him, and when something particularly rough happened, he always talked to Liam about it, and they got through it, but Mason was strong. Mason had always been incredibly strong, and as Liam thought about it, maybe Theo wasn't as strong. 

Over the weekend he spent in England with Theo, and the time they had spent texting and talking since, Liam had gotten to know that there were two very, very different versions of the prince, and this? This was just one more piece of who the man really was. Theo had shown himself to Liam last night, albeit drunkenly, and Liam had a responsibility to let him know that it was alright. That who he  _ was _ was alright. 

**_Hey. About last night..._ **

Liam started typing out the text, but stopped, deleting it before hitting send. 

"No, that's dumb," he said to himself. 

**_Look, I just wanted to let you know, I'm honored, but I'm straight-_ **

"Nope." He shook his head, deleting the second message as well. "That's even worse. A lot worse."

**_I just want you to know that I accept you, and you're valid. We're not on the same page with this, but that doesn't mean-_ **

"Idiot! Ugh!" Liam groaned, deleting the third message, and throwing his phone back against his spare pillow. "Motherfucker!" He shouted at the ceiling, as though it had personally wronged him.

Finally, after what felt like hours of lying there, trying to think of the right thing to say, the right thing to do, Liam fired off a text to Theo. 

**_Can we talk?_ **

There wasn't a reply right away, but that was normal. The time difference, paired with them both having a substantial amount of real world obligations meant that their texts were often spread out over several hours. Feeling at least like he had done  _ something  _ about what was going on, he got up to take a shower, and wash the remnants of his hangover away. 

In the shower, as he let the warm water wash over him, he thought about Theo, out on the patio, looking at him as though Liam should have known what was going on. 

And maybe he should have. Maybe Theo had been dropping hints that Liam had missed, because his heterosexuality got in the way of assuming a guy might be hitting on him. Or trying to avoid hitting on him. 

His heterosexuality. 

Liam had been sure that he was straight for a long time. The first time he kissed a girl, he didn't want her to be anyone else. He liked how soft she was, and how beautiful, and there had been absolutely no desire for her to be a man. 

He had told himself that that was direct proof that he wasn't gay. 

And then, of course, there was high school, and Brett, and that drunken night they had climbed into his bed and spent hours on hours making out, and Liam didn't feel anything.

Then there was that _ sober _ night, where Brett had been over watching a movie, and somehow, through a chain of events that even now, Liam couldn't quite remember, they jerked each other off, and he _ still _ didn't have a crisis about his sexuality. 

And of course there was Hayden, and how hard he had fallen for her, how much he had wanted her when they met, and how much he hadn't cared that they were doomed from the start - at least romantically. He had been all in with her.

There was Kira Yukimura. They hadn't dated, or kissed even, but Liam had a crush on her, and it was definitely a physical attraction.

Then there had been Malia, Stiles' awesome ex-girlfriend who had been around for awhile, and Liam could remember the scowls that Stiles would shoot him when he caught Liam checking her out.

And of course, there was Mason. His best friend. His  _ gay _ best friend, that Liam had never had any desire to kiss, or jump into bed with, even after rounds and rounds of tequila. 

So he was straight. 

He had to be. 

Except...there  _ was _ Brett, and the fact that, whether he had been romantically involved with him or not, they had done  _ stuff _ . There was the slight heat that Liam got under the collar when he saw Derek Hale in that perfectly tailored suit, or pictured him on the motorcycle that he apparently had. Hell, even the fact that he  _ had _ pictured Derek on the motorcycle in the first place. There was Scott McCall, and the late nights they had spent talking, working on the campaign. Liam had always attributed that funny little buzz in his stomach to the excitement of being on his first campaign, and to some degree, it was. But maybe it wasn't  _ just _ that.

...And there was Theo. 

There was the fact that Liam couldn't quite get the feel of those soft, warm lips, and the taste of champagne out of his mind. Maybe he couldn't stop thinking about the kiss because it was so surprising, and at first, he had himself convinced that that was it, but in the back of his mind, there was that niggling thought that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't quite as straight as he had always led himself to believe.   
  
After all, did straight people spend this much time and energy trying to convince themselves that they were, indeed, heterosexual? __

_ No _ , Liam thought.  _ Probably not. _

As he stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist, there were a million questions spinning around in Liam’s mind. He knew that it wasn't just gay and straight. He knew that there were a lot of things in between the binary, but he had never considered that  _ he _ might be one of those things.

He wasn't sure, even now, that he wasn't straight, but he was letting the possibility into his head for the first time since high school. Being confused about one kiss didn't mean that he was gay, or even that he was attracted to men. It just meant that he was confused by something that he hadn't been expecting, and he was working to process it...but that didn't make it easy. 

At all. 

Showered, clean, and at least physically feeling better, Liam sat down on his bed and picked his phone up. There was still no reply from Theo, but that still didn't strike him as all that odd. 

There were, however, 22 texts from Mason now, and with a sigh, Liam lay back on his bed, hitting the call button, and putting Mason on speaker. He rested the phone on his pillow so that he didn't have to hold it, the ultimate sign of hungover laziness. 

"Where the hell have you been all day?!" Mason asked, incredulous. 

"Puking in the shower."

"Oh shit, really?"

"Well, no, but close." Liam sighed. "What about you?"

"Also nursing a very rough hangover. I was starting to worry, though!"

"Really?" Liam asked. "Why?"

"Um, because I think this is the longest that you have ever gone after I've kissed someone without badgering me for details."

Oh god. Mason and Corey had kissed last night. It wasn't  _ all _ about him and Theo. 

"Oh, fuck, sorry," Liam forced a laugh out, even though he wasn't really feeling it. "What happened, anyways?"

"I don't know," Mason sighed. "Not exactly. I mean, it was good, we were kissing, we were dancing, I was pretty sure that he was going to come back to my place with me, and then all of a sudden, he was just...gone? I couldn't find him, and then at like, 6 this morning I had a DM on Instagram from him saying that he was super sorry but something had come up with Theo, and they had to get back to England."

"Oh." Liam bit his lip. 

Did Corey know  _ what  _ had come up? Could Liam even tell  _ Mason _ if he wanted to? He couldn't help but think about that ironclad NDA he had signed.

"Yeah." Mason paused. "He sent me his number, though. I haven't texted him yet. I don't know what to say, really. I mean it's crazy, right? Trying to start something up when he lives in the fucking United Kingdom?"

"Yeah," Liam said, utterly distracted. "Totally crazy."

"Uh...no. Liam. You are supposed to tell me to go for it, to follow my dreams, to grab that gorgeous, big brown eyed bull by the horns and ride him into next century."

"Oh. I mean, if you want to go for it, go for it," Liam said. 

"But he lives in the UK!" 

"What do you want me to say, Mason?" Liam snapped, unable to help himself. "I say it's crazy, you don't like it. I say go for it, you don't like that either. What do you want me to tell you? That the United States Government has secretly mastered speed cloning, and in 2-4 days I can grow you your own personal Corey Bryant?"

"Whoa..." Mason sounded taken aback, and guilt instantly filled Liam's chest. 

"No, shit, Mason, I didn't mean that. I'm sorry. I'm just feeling really rough."

"Yeah, you must be. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, of course. Just really, really fucking hungover." He rolled on to his side. "Do you really like him?"

"I mean, I don't really know him, I guess," Mason admitted. "But I've liked talking to him the couple of times that I have, and I liked dancing with him last night. And I liked kissing him. I  _ really _ liked kissing him."

"Then text him." Liam smiled. "He gave you his number. Use it."

"Yeah. That's...you're right. I'm over thinking this."

"Maybe a little," Liam said with a smile. "Just go into it with an open mind and no expectations? Just...see where it goes."

God, why was it so much easier to give advice to Mason about his romantic problems? Why couldn't he manage to parse his own? 

Mason was leaving the door wide open for Liam to say something about his own kiss, but he couldn't do it. He just wasn't ready to tell anyone about it yet.

He needed to know how he felt about it first, and he didn't.

***

With all of the people around Liam, though, who knew him so well, it wasn't easy to hide things. His emotions had always been somewhat volatile, and he felt like, now, things were coming to a head. 

His father had still never responded to the text message that Liam had sent, so Liam had to assume that the man wasn't sober. Or that he hadn't even cared in the first place, and had just reached out to Liam while drunk. 

But now, on top of that, there was the fact that Theo wasn't texting him back, either. 

Theo had never responded to Liam's text asking if they could talk. He didn't respond to the one that Liam had sent the following day asking if Theo had made it back to England safely. 

Hell, Theo didn't even respond to the _ Lord of the Rings  _ meme that Liam sent him on the third day. 

On the fourth day, Liam didn't send anything. He was growing agitated, he was growing restless, and he could tell that it was starting to show, so he made an appointment with his mother. 

"Liam," Jenna looked up at her son from across her desk. "You know that you don't have to schedule appointments to talk to me. I'm your mother."

"I know." Liam sighed. "But this is different, I want to talk to you about work. About your campaign."

"Oh?" She looked at him, head tilted to the side. 

"Well, you know I'm done with school, and I haven't quite landed on grad school plans yet...I was sort of hoping that I could work on your campaign. I'm fine with being an unpaid intern, I just want the experience. Working on the McCall campaign last summer was eye opening. This is what I want to do."

There was a determination in Liam's expression, and Jenna sat back, watching him. 

"Alright." She nodded. "You can intern. I'll have Stiles come up with some office space for you at campaign headquarters, and you can start on Monday."

"Wait, really?" Liam asked, looking up at her, surprised. 

"Yes." She nodded. "You know this administration, Liam. You know who we are, and what we're facing, and I think you would be perfectly suited to working on it."

"I...yes, okay, thank you!" He couldn't help but smile. Along with heading his career in the right direction, Liam knew that this would give him at least 8 hours a day of distraction from thinking about Theo, and his infuriatingly soft lips. It would give him a distraction from the fact that Theo hadn't texted him back. 

Still, the job on the Dunbar campaign wasn't a cure-all for what was going on. Liam was still staring face to face with his very own sexual identity crisis, and he knew that he had to talk to someone about it. 

He knew that it should be Mason. He could feel it in the back of his mind, even as he breezed his way into Congressman McCall's office, that it should be Mason, but he couldn't bring himself to go down that road just yet. 

And Scott McCall? He had been something of a mentor to Liam last summer. Why couldn't he do the same thing now? Liam knew that Scott was bisexual - hell, everyone did. He had woven it seamlessly into his campaign for the seat in the House, and sure, some people had called it into question, but he had spoken about it with such strength and assurance that it had never really been turned into effective ammunition against him by the other side. 

"I didn't know we had an appointment," Scott said, looking up as Liam walked into the office. 

"We don't." Liam bit his lip. "I just..." 

"Oh." 

Liam didn't need to say anymore. Scott apparently understood that something was going on. The young congressman got up, closing the door to his office, and gestured for Liam to sit down. 

"Have a seat. What's going on?"

"I..." Liam sighed, raking a hand through his shaggy hair. He still hadn't gotten that cut he had been meaning to. "How did you know?"

"You're going to have to be more specific than that," Scott said. 

"That..." Liam paused, the words weighted on his tongue. "That you liked boys...well, and girls. That you were bisexual?"

"Oh god." Scott looked at Liam, his eyes wide. "Liam, I'm not sure if I should be having this conversation with you."

"Please," Liam said, practically begging. 

"Okay." Scott bit his lip, and reached into his desk. He pulled out a bottle of whiskey and two cups, pouring them each a drink. "Well, I always knew that I liked girls," Scott explained. "That part was easy, because that part was expected."

"Yeah." Liam nodded. "No, I know. I mean...I get it."

"I guess if I go back and think about it now," Scott said. "I probably could have figured out that I liked boys a little sooner, but I didn't really let myself understand it until high school. I met this boy, Isaac, and fell in love, and the timing was wrong, and maybe the boy wasn't right, either. Things were a mess, for both of us, but the feelings were real, and he...needed someone to prove that they cared about him." Scott paused, reaching down, taking a sip of his drink. "I was 17, and surprised by how easy it was for me to be that person for him."

"Oh." Liam frowned. "But you're not with him now."

"No." Scott shook his head. "We didn't make it past high school. Even then, I knew what I wanted, and the public life? That was never something he would have been comfortable with."

"So it was all a huge mistake, and you got your heart ripped out of your chest, and he got his heart stomped on?"

"No, quite the opposite, actually," Scott said with a gentle smile. "I helped him see how lovable he truly was, and he helped me realize just how much strength there is in being able to be yourself, in being able to stand up in front of your family, or the entire world, and say 'this is who I am, and this is what I'm fighting for.'"

"Okay..." Liam took a sip from his own glass. "So even though it didn't work out, it was still...worth it?"

"More than." Scott smiled. "He's engaged to a wonderful man, and I'm here. Exactly where I want to be, fighting for other people's right to be who they are."

When Liam had started working on Scott's campaign, he had been drawn to that strength in Scott, that unabashed sense of self that paired itself incredibly well, somehow, with Scott's particular brand of justice. As he sat there, watching the other man, Liam felt like he understood it all a little better now. 

Or a lot better. 

"So...since there is about 0% chance that you just came in here, vaguely curious about my romantic and sexual past, are you going to tell me what this is really about?"

"I..." Liam sighed. "I don't know. I guess I always just assumed that I was straight because I liked girls, but I'm not so sure of that anymore."

"I learned about my sexuality in high school," Scott said. "But it's not cut and dry, it's not something you just wake up one day sure of. It's not something that you label yourself with one day, and then you're stuck with that for the rest of your life. You're still young, Liam, but even if you weren't, there is no _ right _ age to figure this stuff out."

"I'm starting to get that, I think," Liam admitted. "I just sort of thought I had everything figured out. It's tricky, realizing that everything you thought you knew about yourself maybe wasn't so black and white." 

And honestly, it was even more staggering that he hadn't started to go down this road sooner. 

"Do you want my advice?" Scott asked. 

"Wouldn't be here if I didn't."

"Just because you're realizing your sexuality doesn't mean you have to be marching downtown shirtless in rainbow suspenders come June," Scott reasoned. "Take your time with it. Let yourself get comfortable with it before you try and let everyone else in on it with you."

"Yeah, that's...probably good advice," Liam admitted. 

"And also?" Scott set his glass down, still partially full. "Be careful. Long distance relationships are difficult enough. Even when they're _ not _ with a prince."

Liam practically choked on his whiskey, coughing as it burned it's way down his throat. 

" _ What? _ " He looked up at Scott. "How did you-"

"There was just something different about you. The day you came into my office after you got back from England. I couldn't put my finger on it." Scott paused, looking Liam over. "Now it makes sense."

"You can't tell anyone."

"This isn't my thing to tell, Liam," Scott said, his eyes kind. "It's yours, and Theo's. That being said, if you need someone to talk to, well, you've never had a problem barging in here."

Liam couldn't help but smile at that. He took another sip of his drink, this one going down a lot smoother, as his conversation with Scott devolved into more comfortable territory - politics. 

When he left the building to make his way back home, Liam couldn't help but feel just a little bit better. 

He didn't have to figure this all out right now. He didn't have to put a label on it. He didn't have to scream it from the rooftops. He could just accept that he had been in love with Hayden, and attracted to countless other women. He was starting to accept that the things that he had felt when Theo had kissed him were not due to shock. 

There was something bubbling up inside of him, something that had possibly been there all along. He just had to figure out how to move forwards with it.

With Theo.


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam comes to some realizations as he continues to sort through his feelings for Theo, things that he is forced to confront when Theo arrives for a State Dinner at the White House.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so grateful for all of you readers! You have all been so incredibly kind and supportive, and I really, really appreciate it so much, I can't even begin to explain. So thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.

It wasn't easy. Nothing about this was easy, and even with having opened up that door, the door of potential bisexuality, Liam wasn't sure. When you spent enough of your life thinking that things were one way, it wasn't easy to just...go back on that. 

He had his job at the Dunbar for President campaign to focus on. He had Mason constantly in his ear talking about Corey, or the latest equal rights legislation, or gun laws, and it was easy to distract himself from his own personal crisis. 

At least it was most of the time. 

"You're on page 8," Mason said, casually tossing a  _ People _ magazine at Liam as he entered his room. "Some paparazzo got pictures of you on your run the other day. Did you _ have _ to take your shirt off? Half the country is now drooling."

"Oh god." Liam laughed. It hadn't even been that warm, but he had pushed himself hard, and the shirt? It had just been getting in the way. 

"Your new best friend is on page 11."

That got Liam's attention, and he opened the magazine, flipping to page 11 as carefully as possible, trying not to seem overeager under Mason's watchful eye. 

**PRINCE THEO'S ROMANTIC EVENING WITH TRACY STEWART**

"What the actual fuck?" Liam couldn't help himself. He felt, well, _ something _ rising in him as he looked at the photos of Theo leading the gorgeous young actress into some sexy French bistro. There were also pictures of them leaving together, his arm around her waist, his jacket draped over her shoulders.

And Liam was angry. 

Only a few weeks ago, Theo had been melancholy on  _ his _ porch, talking about how the people that he wanted to date were never an option, and  _ oh _ . 

Oh. 

Maybe, if Theo kissed someone, kissed a  _ boy _ , and they hadn't talked about it, and he wasn't sure what had happened, well...maybe he needed to do a little damage control. 

"What?" Mason asked, frowning. 

"Oh, nothing," he said. "I just can't believe Theo didn't tell me he had a date with Tracy Stewart."

After all, Liam hadn't told Mason that he and Theo weren't talking anymore. If he did, he would have to explain why, and he honestly still wasn't sure  _ what  _ the mental block was with telling Mason, but he just wasn't ready yet. Also, he didn't want to drive any wedges between Mason's flirtation with Corey. His best friend seemed so happy, the way that his eyes lit up every time his phone had a text from the young philanthropist, and Liam wasn't about to ruin that for him. 

Especially when he didn't have any of his shit sorted out yet. 

Liam tossed the magazine aside, but even as he did so, he couldn't help but think about just how  _ not _ heterosexual his reaction to seeing Theo on a date was. 

So that was a box to check off of his list. 

***   
  
Around 11 o'clock the next night, Liam finally got up the courage to do something that he had been meaning to do for awhile now. He sat at his desk, picked up his phone, and dialed the number for Brett Talbot. 

"Hello?" The voice that picked up on the other end was confused, though unmistakably, Brett. 

"Hi. It's Liam."

"I'm aware."

"So...how have you been?"

"Cut the crap," Brett said. "What is this really about?"

"Can't I call in to check on my buddy?"

"You could," Brett said. "And it wouldn't be weird, except you haven't called your 'buddy' in two years."

"Oh." Liam sighed. "Yeah, okay."

"So," Brett said. "What do you want."

"Okay. So this is probably going to sound a little weird, but...in high school."

"Oh god."

"No, no, no," Liam said. "Stick with me. Just...did we have a thing? Were we like, together, and I somehow just sort of missed it?"

"Seriously? You're calling me to talk about this now?" Brett sighed. "Look, can we not do this? I'm at dinner. With my boyfriend. Whom I love."

"Oh. Shit. I'm sorry." 

Brett had a boyfriend? Liam wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but he supposed it wasn't that. 

"Just hold on a second, okay?" Brett said. 

"Can do."

Liam heard some rustling around, and some words. 

"Yeah, no, it's Liam...yes. _ That  _ Liam. No, he's...Nolan, I don't know. I'll be right back, though, babe. Order me the lasagna? I love you."

Liam heard something that sounded like a quick kiss, followed by more rustling. 

"Okay," Brett said. "What the hell is going on with you?"

"In high school. We messed around a little."

"We messed around  _ a lot _ ."

Liam bit his lip. Sure, there were two distinct times that had stood out to him, but now that Brett said it, yeah...maybe they had kind of messed around a lot. 

"Okay, a lot." Liam sighed. "But-"

"We weren't together, Liam. And I don't know what all of that was for you, and I know we both said that there was nothing gay about it, that it was just practice, but, at least for me, there was something  _ very _ gay about it."

Liam paused. 

"Do I like boys?" 

"What the fuck, Liam?" There was a clear exasperation in Brett's tone, and Liam was starting to feel guilty for having called him at all. 

"Sorry..."

"You have to know that I can't answer that for you," Brett said. "Look, all I can tell you is that, at least from what I remember, it wasn't just me. Half the time,  _ you _ kissed  _ me _ first."

"Oh." Liam leaned back in his chair, wondering just how he was able to block so much of this out, and pretend that it was normal. 

Well, not normal, but  _ heterosexual. _

"So in your opinion..."

"In my opinion," Brett said. "No one can make this call but you, Liam. I don't know if you're straight, I don't know if you're gay, I don't know if you've transformed into a three toed sloth, at this point, because we haven't talked in two fucking years. What I can tell you is that  _ I _ like boys, and there is a very confused one that I like  _ very  _ much waiting for me, and as it is, I am going to have to explain quite a bit to him, so are we done with this conversation?"

"Yeah, yes, I'm sorry," Liam said. "And for what it's worth-"

"Don't." Brett cut him off. "I'm happy, Liam. I'm incredibly happy with Nolan, and the shit we did in high school? It was just shit we did in high school."

Liam wasn't sure why that stung a little, but it did. 

"Hey, Brett?" Liam asked. 

"God, what?"

"Can we still be friends?"

"Oh." Brett sounded surprised. "I mean, if you want to...you're sort of the one that fell off the face of the Earth, and I get it, your life got insanely busy."

"I know." Liam sighed. "I messed up a little there, but I'd like to be friends." He paused. "I'll text you."

"Yeah. I'd like that."

After those last words, Brett hung up, but Liam was pretty sure that there was a smile in his voice as he did so.

So that was another thing to check off of his list.

***

Liam knew that he should tell Mason. He had been letting Mason think that his constant checking of his phone, and strange behaviors were a direct result of never hearing back from his father, and not Theo. 

Once Liam told Mason, though, that would be that. It would be real, and he couldn't take it back, and he just wanted to be sure. 

Then again, every day, he became more and more sure that what he was feeling for Theo was very much not straight at all. The fact that he was kept up at night just thinking about the curve of his jaw, or the cute rounding of Theo's nose was proof in that. The thing that kept him up the most, though, was Theo not getting back to him.

It had been weeks, and there was no text message, no phone call, nothing to imply that their friendship was still a friendship. Liam didn't know what he was supposed to do, until one day, in early February, when his mother told him that, amongst other high profile guests, Prince Theo would be arriving for a State Dinner that night. 

The fact that Liam's heart began to instantly pound in his chest told him everything that he needed to know. This was finally going to be their chance to talk, and he was going to figure it out. He was going to make it work. 

By the time guests began arriving, Liam was nervous. He had untied and re-tied the same pale grey tie several times, and was now smoothing down his jacket to make sure that it was perfect. 

"Prince Theo is here," Stiles said. "Time for pictures - gotta sell that bromance, eh, buddy?"

"Yeah." Liam nodded, not wanting to let on that it wasn't a ruse anymore, at least not to him. There was a connection here, and Liam was done doing nothing about it. 

"Hello," Theo said as the two of them were brought together for a photo. 

"Really? That's what you're going with?" Liam asked, his words barely a whisper as he threw an arm around Theo to pose for their photo. "You're really gonna pretend you didn't kiss me and then go AWOL for a month?"

"We're doing this here?" Theo asked, frowning. "I think not."

And before Liam had the chance to say anything else, Theo turned away, the photo taken, to go mingle with others. 

"Crap." Liam sighed, raking a hand through his hair.

He shook a lot of hands, and took a lot of photos, but he couldn't stop his gaze from constantly falling to Theo. How dare the prince just waltz in here like nothing had happened, like he hadn't caused Liam to have a sexual identity crisis spiraling out of control for the last month? How could he just toss his head back and laugh with the Secretary of State as though Liam wasn't over here losing his goddamn mind?

And how  _ dare _ he wear slacks that made his ass look so good?

"I need your help," Liam said to Stiles. 

"Oh, that's never good." Stiles sighed. "What?"

"I need a distraction."

"Why?"

"Because I need to dip out for a minute, and I don't want anyone to notice."

"That's not ominous."

"Just...in 15 minutes? Do  _ something _ ?"

"No." Stiles shook his head. 

"Please?"

"Tell me why?" He asked. 

"Ugh." Liam sighed. "The prince and I got into a fight at New Years, alright? Worse than usual, and I'm just worried we're going to start coming across as tense, and I just want to slink out with him for like, 15 seconds, so we can talk it out."

"Oh." Stiles nodded. "Yeah, okay, I can see why you wouldn't want anyone to notice that. We don't want anyone suspecting trouble in paradise."

"Thank you," Liam said, trying to avoid the desperation in his tone. 

"You got it. 15 minutes." Stiles nodded. 

"You're the best."

"Yeah." Stiles grinned. "I know." And with no idea that a certain amount of wool was being pulled over his eyes, off Stiles went to plan his distraction. 

"Hi." Liam walked up to where Erica was stationed, eyes scanning the party. 

"Is there a threat?" Erica asked. 

"Well, no..."

"Then what do you need?" She asked. 

"I need to get Prince Theo alone."

"You can't just get the prince alone!" She said. "He has his own security here. I can accompany you two outside if you want-"

"No." Liam sighed. "It has to be alone.  _ Alone  _ alone."

There must have been something in the desperation of his tone that spoke volumes, because rather than object, Erica nodded. "The Red Room. Across the hall. I think you can get away with maybe 5 minutes, though. That's it."

"Five minutes?" Liam nodded. "I can make that work. Stiles is going to cause a little distraction, and we'll just go."

"And I'll watch the door, make sure nothing happens." She eyed Liam, suspicion mounting in her. "To  _ either _ of you."

"Oh for the love of god, I'm not yanking him away to beat the shit out of him!" Liam insisted. "I just need to talk to him, that's all."

"Fine." Erica nodded. "Five minutes."

Liam agreed, and walked off, making sure that he was positioned close to Theo, and waited. 

After several minutes, there was a loud screeching from one of the microphones on the podium, and Liam saw his chance. He grabbed Theo by the wrist, and, Erica following quickly behind them, dragged him from the room. 

"What on Earth do you think you are doing?" Theo asked as Liam practically thrust him into the Red Room, closing the door behind them. 

"We need to talk," Liam said. 

"People will know I'm missing. You can't just drag me off like this!"

"Can. Did. Erica's standing guard. You're not going anywhere."

The room was set up for after dinner cocktails, but right now, it was all theirs, and as Theo looked around, he realized that Liam was standing firm between him and the only exit.

"You can't keep me here," Theo said, folding his arms across his chest. 

"Oh yeah?" Liam took a step closer to him. "I will tie you to that chair with your own goddamn neck tie if I have to. You're _ going  _ to listen to what I have to say."

"That was...intensely specific," Theo said. 

Theo wasn't wrong about that, and the odd sensation that filled Liam following the words made him wonder if maybe that was something he wouldn't mind at all...

For now, though, he put it in his back pocket in order to focus on the task at hand. 

"You  _ ghosted _ me." Liam said, frowning. 

"I..." Theo shrugged. "I should never have kissed you in the first place."

"No?" Liam asked. "Well you did, and you're gonna tell me right now - were you just drunk and lonely, or did you want to kiss  _ me _ specifically?"

"Liam, there is a room full of people-"

"Necktie. Chair." Liam snarled the words, and Theo gulped, nodding. 

"You can't just hold the Prince of England hostage."

" _ Watch me _ ."

There was a fierceness in Liam that he saved for special occasions, things that really mattered, and this, apparently, was one of them. Despite being a few inches shorter than the prince, he had no doubt in his mind that, if he had to, he would be able to take control here, and  _ make _ Theo listen to him. 

"Now answer my damn question."

"Is this an ego thing?" Theo asked. "What do you want me to say? That I, Prince Theodore of England, find you utterly irresistible and have since the day that I met you?"

" _ YES! _ " Liam said, though as the words sank in, he found them surprising. "Wait, what?"

"You really are the most oblivious man in the world," Theo sighed. "And I will not contribute to your ego trip any further. Yes, I wanted to kiss you, I got drunk, and I did. We can leave it at that."

"You  _ ghosted _ me for a fucking month afterwards!"

"I was mortified!" Theo argued. "You didn't kiss me back."

"I was practically in shock!" Liam threw his hands in the air, exasperated. "And then you ran!"

"Yes, well, you are, by all accounts, heterosexual," Theo said.

"So are you!" Liam replied, frustrated beyond belief with this prince. 

"So...are you not?"

For some reason, that was the straw that broke the camel's back, and Liam shoved Theo against a wall, not caring that he knocked the painting of Alexander Hamilton slightly askew as he leaned in, kissing Theo deeply. 

The kiss was aggressive, sloppy, and desperate.

"Does that seem heterosexual to you?" Liam asked as he pulled back. He was breathless as he looked into Theo's eyes...which in this light, didn't look the same blue he had always thought they were, they looked more green? 

"Shut up," Theo said, grabbing Liam by the shoulders and flipping them, this time Liam slamming into the wall. 

"Gladly." Liam nodded, and before he had time to think any more about Theo's eyes, the prince's lips were on his again.

Liam didn't know where to put his hands, but Theo? Theo seemed to know exactly what he was doing. He had one hand on the back of Liam's neck, drawing him into the kiss, and the other placed palm against the wall, keeping Liam boxed in. 

Liam finally settled for his arms around Theo's neck as he let himself fall deeper into the kiss. 

This wasn't like kissing Brett, this wasn't like kissing Hayden. This wasn't like  _ any  _ kiss that Liam had ever had before. There was a passion here that he had not been expecting, and a desperation coming not only off of Theo, but himself as well. He didn't know what to do about it, so he did nothing; he leaned in to the other man, and let this happen.

Liam was just slipping his hand up the back of Theo's shirt when there was a pounding on the door. 

"Good Christ," Theo said, practically jumped off of Liam, a wild-eyed look in his eyes. 

"Whatever the hell you're doing," Erica said through the door. "Time's up."

"Fuck, okay." Liam gulped, straightening his tie, smoothing his hair down, and more or less, watching Theo do the same. 

They were both rumpled, both noticeably, well, not put together, and it took a moment before either of them had really processed what was happening. 

They had just made out up against a portrait of founding father Alexander Hamilton, while a group of dignitaries and other such important people shared appetizers just across the hall. 

Liam frowned as he heard Theo humming the  _ Imperial March  _ from  _ Star Wars  _ under his breath. 

"Okay, Theo, I know you don't like me, but I'm  _ hardly  _ Darth Vader, here..."

"No, shut up, you idiot," Theo sighed. "I'm trying to make _ it  _ go away."

And Liam didn't need to be told twice. After all, they had just been making out, hot and heavy, pressed against each other. 

"You're gonna kill me," Liam groaned. 

"Oh, I think it is quite clear that you will kill me first," Theo said, tucking his shirt back into his slacks. 

"We gonna talk about how the _ Imperial March  _ is your go-to boner killer?"

"Please, let's not," Theo said imploringly. 

"Fair enough." After all, he would rather not get into what tricks worked for him, and if he opened that door with Theo, they would eventually go down that path. 

"What are we going to do?" Liam asked, looking up at Theo. 

"Excuse me?" Theo asked. "You mean you basically kidnapped me, and accosted me  _ in _ the White House, no less, and you don't have a plan?" 

"Jesus, you're insufferable, it's not like I was the only one involved here! But okay, okay, here's what's going to happen," he said. "You're going to stay...like, very, very far away from me so that we have no further need for the  _ Imperial March, _ " Liam sighed. "And then, when this is all over, you're going to come to my bedroom - Boyd will make sure you can find it, I'll talk to him - and we are going to figure this out."

"Figure this out?" Theo asked. 

"Or, I don't know!" Liam sighed. "Make out. Just come to my fucking room, okay?"

"Yes." Theo nodded. "Absolutely. Of course."

He headed for the door, but Liam cut him off.

"Hey," Liam said, getting right in Theo's face. "You gonna ghost me again?"

"No." Theo shook his head, his breath ragged. "Absolutely not."

"Good." Liam smirked, and headed out the door. 

"What the hell?" Erica said. "I heard thuds, did you hit him?"

"It's fine," he said. "We're both fine."

"You gonna tell me what that was all about?" She asked as they headed back. 

"No. I don't know. Not now."

"You're hiding something," she said, her eyes narrowed. 

"Just do your job, Erica. We can talk about this later, okay?"

"Fine."

Erica let it go, and Liam smoothed his hair down one more time before heading back into the room to mingle, watching as Theo did the same. 

It was an odd night, there was no doubt about that, and Liam didn’t know what was going to happen next, but he couldn’t wait for this dinner to be over.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theo comes to Liam's room to meet up with him after their first real kiss, and sparks fly between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of you may have noticed a ratings change...it seemed like a good idea. I hope that you enjoy! My plan is not for this to get too smutty, but you know, there will be some tasteful scenes here and there. I hope everyone's cool with that. It just felt right, as their connection progressed!

As it neared 11, Liam began panicking. He was in his room, pacing back and forth, wondering what the hell he should be wearing right now. He had cast off the tie and blazer that he had been wearing earlier, and was standing there now in socks, dress pants, and his button down. He had the top two buttons undone, his sleeves were rolled up...and he was worried that this was too casual. 

After all, what was someone supposed to wear to a hook up with the Prince of fucking England?

That was, if Theo even showed up. Sure, they had made out in the Red Room, and they had talked about Theo coming here, but maybe he would chicken out. Maybe he would ghost Liam again, and that would be that. Or maybe he wouldn't be able to get out of the guest section of the White House without it being too much of a risk. 

Liam paced between his bedroom and the attached study, grateful that he had so much space in this place to call his own. He needed it right now as he panicked, waiting to see if Theo would or would not show up. 

Despite expecting company, Liam practically jumped out of his skin when there was a pounding on his bedroom door. He opened it, and there was Theo, looking  _ edible _ , still dressed to the nines. 

"You came," Liam said with a smile. 

"Of course I did," Theo said, closing the door behind him as he entered the room. 

"Well, forgive me if I wasn't sure, I mean, you haven't talked to me for like...a month."

"I didn't know what to say after New Year's," Theo admitted, looking up at him. "Your texts were a little cryptic, and I had just done something I had never intended to do."

"So why did you do it?" Liam asked. 

"Because I wanted to," Theo said. "And I was drunk enough to let myself do something selfish."

"And the date with Tracy Stewart?" Liam asked. 

"I had no idea what you were going to do," he admitted. "We've had our...differences in the past, and I was worried that I had fucked up so irrevocably that you would tell the world my secret."

"I would never do that," Liam said. 

"No," Theo sighed, reaching up, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't suppose you would, but a brain is a funny thing, and when you let your thoughts spiral..."

"Yeah." Liam nodded. "Believe me, I know all about that." He looked up at the prince. "Speaking of...why did you kiss  _ me _ ?"

"I'm gay, Liam, and you're hot," he said. 

"Yeah, okay," Liam bit his lip. "But there have to be a million other hot guys out there who would line up around the world to kiss you."

"Ah, but you had already signed the NDA," Theo said. "I thought it would just be more convenient."

"What?" Liam frowned. "That is really, really fucked up!"

"Liam," Theo reached out, taking Liam's hand. "I'm joking."

"Oh." Liam nodded. "I knew that. Fucked up joke, though."

"Sure you did." Theo laughed. "But why you? I don't know if you need your ego stroked any more, but nevertheless." He shrugged. "First off, you're hot. You've always been this insanely gorgeous force, but you're right. There are a lot of gorgeous men out there. I told myself that you weren't special for a long time, but then you called me on Christmas morning."

"Christmas Eve," Liam corrected. 

"Not where I was," Theo objected. 

"Oh, right."

"Shall I continue?" Theo asked, one eyebrow raised. "Or would you prefer to interrupt me until I stop talking entirely?"

"Right, sorry, sorry."

"And then you called me on Christmas  _ Eve _ , and it wasn't like any conversation I had ever had with anyone, really. You opened up to me, you came to me not because I was a prince, but because you  _ trusted  _ me, because I was your friend, and you showed me a part of yourself that I had never seen before." Theo gulped. "After that, well," he shrugged. "It wasn't the same for me, with you."

"Oh." Liam nodded. "That night changed a lot for me, too," he admitted. "I didn't even realize I was calling you until I had done it, but I am so glad that I did."

"I'm glad you did, too," Theo said. "And then at the party, I was...very, very drunk, and you kissed Hayden, and I got jealous."

"You got _ jealous _ ?" Liam said, a smirk in place on his face. 

"Yes, you insufferable pillock."

"Pill-what?"

" _ Idiot _ ," Theo sighed. "I got jealous, so I went out to get some air, but you followed me, and I couldn't help myself. I have spent my whole life with the most clinical hook ups. I find a guy, they have to sign paperwork, and go through a spiel, and by the time I'm anywhere near their lips, the whole thing has been so mechanical that there's nothing left to it. With you, it was different. With you it felt organic, real, and in the moment. I reached out, and took something that I had never let myself take before."

"And then you realized what you'd done, panicked, and ran away."

"Yes." Theo nodded. "I realized that I didn't know where you stood, that I didn't actually know if I could trust you-"

"You can trust me, Theo," Liam said, reaching for his hand. "You can trust me. This secret? It's safe with me."

For a moment, Theo studied Liam, then leaned in, kissing him deeply. 

"You know," Liam said, pulling back from the kiss. "I'm still furious with you for leaving me in the lurch for a whole fucking month."

"Oh?" Theo said, a slight grin in place on his face. "Prove it."

"With pleasure." Liam grinned, and tugged Theo to his study. He pushed him down on the couch and straddled his lap, leaning in, kissing him deeply.

Theo returned the kiss, and Liam would never have guessed that Theo would kiss the way that he did. There was no trace of the poised, constantly camera-ready Theo. Instead, he had been replaced by a man determined. Theo's hands were up Liam's shirt, and in moments, undoing the buttons. In turn, Liam's hands were pushing Theo's jacket off of him, and fumbling with his tie. 

"Why,  _ why _ didn't you leave this behind? It's just causing extra trouble!" Liam growled. 

"Thought you might need it," Theo said between kisses. "In case you needed to make good on your threats from earlier."

"What?" Liam frowned, confused for a second, before realization dawned on him. 

His threats to tie Theo to the chair. Well, okay. He was definitely going to have to remember that for later, but right now, he wanted his hands on Theo, and Theo's on him. 

Theo just smiled, fully aware that Liam knew what he was talking about as he pushed the other man's shirt from his chest. 

"What's this?" Theo asked, frowning as he reached up, his fingers tracing over a scar on Liam's abdomen. 

"Nothing," Liam said. "Got hit a little hard in lacrosse, fell weird on my stick."

"Barbaric sport," Theo said, shaking his head. 

"Do you have to tear down everything I enjoy?" Liam asked, though there was no malice in his words. 

"Maybe." Theo smirked. "I enjoy the reactions. You, Liam Dunbar, are a  _ very  _ reactive young man." He reached out, trailing his fingertips lightly down Liam's sides, grinning as the other man shuddered. "See what I mean?"

"Oh, bite me," Liam groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Don't threaten me with a good time," Theo said. 

Liam's jaw dropped. He wasn't sure why, but there was something so  _ wrong  _ about those words coming out of the mouth of a prince...and something so  _ right _ about them coming out of  _ Theo's _ mouth.

Enjoying the look on Liam's face, Theo let out a little chuckle before he leaned in, resting his hands against Liam's hips to keep him from falling off of the couch as he kissed him. This time, the kiss was slower, less desperate, and more passionate. As Theo pulled away, he caught Liam's lower lip, teeth scraping against it as he pulled back. 

"Fuck," Liam breathed. 

"We'll get to that," Theo teased. "Don't you worry."

"I've never..." Liam paused. "With a guy. I mean, I've done _ stuff _ , just not  _ everything _ ."

"There's no rush," Theo said, leaning in, kissing Liam again. 

Liam didn't know how Theo could do it - switch from sultry, sassy, and utterly sexy, to gentle and sweet, but he supposed if he could switch from "real person" to "royal robot" as easily as he did, it made sense. 

"This needs to go." Liam began unbuttoning the shirt that Theo was, tragically, still wearing, and once he was more than halfway done, Theo just grinned, pulling the shirt off over his own head. 

"Oh, that's not fair!" Liam practically whined as he saw Theo's torso. The guy was ripped. Sure, he could tell that there were muscles there - just feeling up his shirt, and even through it, but looking at it? That was entirely different.

"I've found that working out is a fantastic way to relieve tension," Theo said. 

And being gay, and the prince of a country that wasn't ready for that, well, maybe he had a lot of tension to work out. 

"And it's not as though you're a slouch, hm?" He reached out, running a hand down Liam's abdomen. 

Liam was leaner than Theo, having lost a bit of the muscular definition that he had when he played lacrosse, but he was, by no means, out of shape. It was just a more cardio-driven musculature than Theo's weight-trained one. 

"Now," Theo said, gazing up at Liam. "You've brought me here, you're undressing me, and what? Just going to leave it at that."

"I don't know," Liam said with a grin. "Maybe."

"I think you've put me through enough," Theo said. 

"Oh,  _ I've _ put  _ you  _ through enough?" Liam asked. 

"Yes." Theo grinned. "And I won't let you tease me a second longer."

Before he knew what was happening, Liam was flat on his back on the sofa, with Theo on top of him. Bare skin pressed against bare skin as Theo kissed Liam deeply. After several minutes of making out, hands fumbling over each other's torsos, Theo trailed his lips over Liam's jaw, kissing the tender skin just behind his ear. 

"I want you on the bed," Theo practically growled. To punctuate his statement, he bit down on Liam's earlobe, dragging his teeth over it. 

The groan that escaped Liam's lips was exactly the reaction that Theo was hoping for, and the words that followed were exactly what Theo  _ expected _ from Liam. 

"You're not the prince of me."

"No," Theo laughed. "But I am stronger than you."

"I'll have the Secret Service haul you away."

"Mmm," Theo grinned, pressing a kiss to Liam's collar bone. "You'll do no such thing." He sat up, then got to his feet, reaching down and offering a hand to Liam to pull him off of the sofa. "Bed. Now."

Wordlessly, Liam looked at Theo in awe, and did as he was told. He had never liked Theo's sense of royal authority before, but now, watching the other man use it in the bedroom, use it like this? Well, Liam was pretty sure he was allowed a change of opinion. 

As he walked towards the bed, Liam dropped his slacks, leaving him in his boxers as he lay down on the bed. 

Theo removed his own pants, pouncing on top of Liam, kissing him again. It was as though their lips were drawn together, magnetic. As Theo pulled back, kissing Liam's neck, his collarbone, his shoulder, he muttered words, most of which were lost on Liam, but he was sure that he heard the phrase "fucking beautiful" escape the prince's mouth, and he liked that. 

He liked it a lot.

Liam barely even noticed as Theo reached up, grabbing one of his wrists in each hand, pinning the first son down to the mattress, but he couldn't deny enjoying the weight of the other man's hands on him, the pressure of the man's body. 

"Oh my god," Liam gasped as Theo kissed down his chest, still holding him firm. Theo kissed Liam's hip, just at the waistband of his boxers, and grinned as he looked up at him. 

"You're enjoying this," he said with a grin. 

"Oh hell, you smarmy asshole! Of course I'm enjoying this!"

"Excellent." Theo kissed his way back up Liam's chest, tongue drawing up his abdomen, until he found his way back to the other man's lips.

"You are going to be the death of me," Liam breathed, gazing up into Theo's eyes - which inexplicably seemed closer to hazel now, and honestly, he was really confused about that. 

"Oh, I assure," Theo said with a grin. "It's mutual."

"Oh, is it?" Liam asked, cheeky smirk in place on his face.

"Quite."

With a surge of strength, Liam broke free of Theo's grasp, rolling over, and pulling the other man beneath him. 

"Gotcha," Liam said, taking his turn to pin Theo's wrists down on the bed. 

"You sure about that?" 

Theo wrenched one of his wrists free, and quickly reached up, grabbing Liam by the back of the neck, pulling him down into a bruising kiss. 

Liam's grip on Theo's other wrist went slack, and without even really realizing it, their fingers laced together. 

Liam couldn't tell you how long he stayed like that, resting on top of Theo, one hand running up and down the prince's side, the other laced with Theo's, while Theo held him into the kiss, his fingers gently toying with the hair at the nape of Liam's neck. 

Since they had met, Liam had imagined about 1001 scenarios featuring himself and the prince, but none of them were anything like this, and he couldn't, for the life of him, figure out why not. Now that this was happening, now that he was kissing Theo, he couldn't fathom any other outcome.

Liam's hand trailed down to Theo's boxer briefs, and he gently hooked a finger through the waistband. With a soft sigh, he pulled his hand away from Theo's for better balance, and kissed his way down the other man's torso. Liam stopped, making sure to press his lips to every individual muscle he could find before finally getting to the waistband of the other man's undergarments. 

"I've never done this before," Liam said softly. 

"Liam," Theo said, propping himself up on his elbows to look at the other man. "You don't have to do anything you don’t want to do."

"I didn't say I didn't  _ want _ to do it," Liam said. "I said I  _ hadn't  _ done it before. Now, are you going to talk me out of this, or can I get back to work?"

"Yes, no, please, carry on." Theo smiled, leaning back as Liam pulled his underwear off, leaving him naked on the other man's bed. 

"Oh good lord, couldn't _ one _ part of you be inadequate?" Liam asked, looking up at him. 

"I'm afraid not," Theo teased. 

Liam took the prince into his mouth. He was tentative at first, but as Theo reached out, curling his fingers through Liam's hair, tugging only slightly, Liam gained confidence, and momentum. 

He caught only a few of the words Theo gasped out, but he was certain that he heard "motherfucker" and "sweetheart" peppered in there. While Liam was getting to know Theo, bit by bit, the man was still a bit of a mystery to him. 

"Was...was that alright?" Liam asked as he looked up at the prince. 

"Definitely adequate," Theo said. "Room for improvement, though."

"I hate you," Liam said. 

"You won't in a minute."

Theo flipped them again, and this time, didn't waste a second as he pulled Liam's boxers off, taking his turn to reciprocate what Liam had just done for him. 

"Holy god!" Liam cried out. 

"Do you still hate me?" Theo asked with a smirk as he finished. 

"What are you?" Liam asked, incredulous. "The prince of blowjobs?!"

"Just doing my best," Theo teased.

"I wanted to say there was room for improvement, but Jesus Christ."

"You can just call me Theo."

"You are...god, I can't even think of the words. My mind is so blown right now."

"See how much fun we could have been having?" Theo said. "But instead, you spent all that time hating me."

"Excuse you?" Liam said. "I believe you were the one, who, upon meeting me for the first time demanded your equerry get me away from you!"

"Ah. Yes." Theo bit his lip. "Well, you see, I knew that I would be meeting you, but I wasn't expecting you to be quite so..." he paused, moving back up, lying down on the bed, pulling Liam into his arms. 

"Alluring? Handsome? Charming?"

"Well, I was going to say obnoxious."

"You were not!" Liam reached out, smacking him lightly on the arm. 

"No," Theo said, leaning down, kissing Liam on the shoulder. "No, I wasn't."

His tone was soft, more subdued, and Liam looked up at him. 

"I was going to say that I didn't expect you to be so  _ compelling _ ." Theo pulled Liam closer, stroking a hand through his hair. "Everything from your eyes, to your cocky little smile - you weren't at all intimidated to be meeting a prince, or if you were, I couldn't tell. You were beautiful," Theo said. "And I was caught off guard."

"You knew what I looked like," Liam argued. 

"A photograph, or even a video can only show so much, Liam." He leaned forwards, kissing Liam softly. "I asked Derek to get you away from me because I couldn't think of what else to do, and then the next time I saw you..."

"I was a complete ass," Liam finished. 

"More than."

"What is more of an ass than a complete ass?" Liam frowned. 

"Whatever you were to me the next time we met."

"You infuriate me," Liam said. 

"I delight you."

"I despise you."

"You don't." Theo kissed him again. "In fact, I think you quite like me." 

Liam didn't have a response for that, so he just leaned in, kissing Theo until he was breathless.

Liam wasn't thinking. If he had been, he would have thought about how he was in bed with the Prince of England. He would have thought about how he was naked, pressed up against the man third in line for the throne. He would have thought about what a disaster this could have been, both for the royal family and for the Dunbar administration. He would have thought about all of the millions of reasons why this was a bad idea, but he couldn't. Instead, he could think only of Theo's lips, and how good they felt against his own. 

The two men lay there until well into the early hours of the morning, kissing, talking, fingers gently tracing over each other's bodies as they learned each other while wrapped together in Liam's bed. 

"I can't stay," Theo said finally as the clock hit 3:37 in the morning. 

"I know." Liam nodded. 

If Theo was missing from the guest chambers in the morning, that would be one thing. If he was found in the First Son's bedroom, that would be entirely another. 

With a heavy sigh, Theo got out of the bed, and Liam leaned against the pillows, watching him. Theo was absolutely gorgeous, and Liam couldn't help but wonder how he had ever thought he was even remotely heterosexual. 

"Will you let me see you again?" Theo asked, pulling his boxer briefs back on, and going in search of the rest of his clothes.

"God, yes," Liam said, the words out of his mouth without so much as a second thought. 

"Good." Theo smiled, dressing quickly, slinging his suit jacket over his arm. He walked back over to the bed and kissed Liam once again. As he pulled back, he tossed his silver neck tie on the pillow beside Liam's head. 

"What's this?" Liam asked. 

"For next time," Theo said with a wink. 

Liam reached out, running his fingers over the silky tie, shaking his head as Theo crept from the room. 

He didn't know where this was going, but he knew that it was scary, that it was exciting, and that he was all in.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam and Theo continue to get to know each other, and Mason and Liam set off for a Youth Summit in France!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, sorry that I missed my regular update - I had a really bad migraine, but we're good now! Second, I have tried my best to model the "smut" level in this story after the source material, and keep it tame, but if anyone feels like it's too much, let me know! I can tone it down! That being said, I think it tapers down after this chapter! I hope everyone is continuing to enjoy this! <3

"I'm sorry, you are going _where_?" Mason asked, spinning around in Liam's desk chair while Liam threw clothes into an overnight bag. 

"Greenwich. Connecticut."

"For a _polo_ match?"

" _Charity_ polo match," Liam corrected. "It's a part of the whole international relations thing. Polo is garbage, but Theo is playing in it, and it's for charity, so there is literally no reason why I shouldn't go. I mean, if the crown wants me there, I gotta go." He shrugged. "We're still trying to clean up my mess."

"Fair enough," Mason said. "Do you think Corey's going to be there?"

"I have no idea, ask him." 

"You okay?" Mason asked. 

"What? Yeah, why?"

"I don't know. You just seem weird. Did...is this still about your dad?" he asked. 

"No, I...I mean, sort of?" He sighed. "He's not going to call again, he's not going to text again. I know that, I'm putting that behind me," he said. "Just, you know…it’s an adjustment. There's the new job, there's graduating, there's...yeah, I guess still the lingering thing with my dad..." 

_There's my sexual relationship with the Prince of England..._

He knew that he should tell Mason. He had felt that time and time again, but he still didn't know what this thing with Theo was. Until he got that sorted out, he didn't really want Mason to know. 

"Yeah, I guess it's been a big year for you," Mason said. "But whatever happens, I'm here for you."

"Yeah." Liam nodded, trying not to feel guilty as he looked over at Mason. "I know."

"But for now, you're going to a charity polo match in Greenwich?"

"For now, I'm going to a charity polo match in Greenwich." Liam zipped up the bag that he was packing. 

"Have...fun? I guess? Are polo matches fun?" Mason asked. 

"Oh, I'm sure they're not," he said. "But I'll have a few drinks, smile for the cameras...text you when I'm bored..."

"Awesome." Mason grinned. "If Corey's there, tell him ‘hi’ for me."

"Will do." Liam nodded. "What's going on between you two, anyways?"

"I don't know." Mason shrugged. "We text, we flirt, it's fun."

"Good." Liam smiled, slinging the bag over his shoulder. "I'm glad."

***

It was a quick flight to Greenwich, but even so, Liam knew that he wouldn't be able to see Theo until after the polo match. He posed for some photos, he made a sizable donation to the charity, and got a drink, intending to sit there, and text Mason until all of this was over. His plans were ruined, however, when Prince Theo came onto the field. Even with his dumb helmet and goggles on, and that stupid mallet in his hand, he looked absolutely stunning. As he rode into his position, it almost seemed like he was moving in slow motion. 

Maybe polo was boring, but watching Theo riding around the field in those perfect pants, with leather gloves, shiny leather boots, and a shirt that seemed to pull across his chest perfectly, was anything but boring. Liam still didn't like horses, and he didn't get this game, but he also didn't look at his phone for even a second during the match, either.

Theo was _that_ distracting. 

"Did you win?" Liam asked as he and Theo walked the match grounds once it was over. 

Theo had his riding helmet tucked under his arm, his hair perfectly mussed from it. He was sweaty from the match, but Liam didn't mind that at all. In fact, he found himself very drawn in by the appearance and scent of the other man. The leather riding boots and riding gloves didn't hurt, either. 

"It was for charity, Liam," Theo said with a laugh. 

"Yeah...but did you win?"

"You're incorrigible."

"So you lost," Liam said. 

"It doesn't matter! We raised a lot of money for a good cause."

"Yup." Liam was grinning ear to ear. "You definitely lost."

"Look, I only have about an hour before I'm on a plane back to England," Theo said. "So are we going to make this count?"

"Oh hell." Liam sighed. "Of course we are." He took a step closer to Theo, but the prince stopped him. 

"Cameras," he said, biting his lip. "Um, follow me."

Liam was furious about how much he wanted to reach out and grab Theo's hand as they traveled, but he knew better. He had to stay poised. There were risks that they just couldn't take, and he knew it. 

"Here," Theo said, opening the door to a windowless room, and closing it behind them. 

Liam looked around, noticing bridles, saddles, riding crops, and reins, hanging from the walls.

"What in the leather daddy hell is this?" Liam asked. 

"Good lord, it's a tack room," Theo said with a laugh as he locked the door. "Get your mind out of the gutter!"

"Are you sure you want me to do that? We only have an hour..."

"Fair enough." Theo dropped his helmet, letting it fall to the floor as he grabbed for Liam, pulling him close. 

Liam kissed Theo desperately, backing him against the wall, the two of them practically falling against it in their haste. 

Theo moved back just slightly, raising a hand to remove his riding gloves. 

"Wait," Liam said, already breathless from just one kiss. "Don't."

"Well, isn't this an interesting development?" Theo smirked, but stopped removing the gloves. He reached out, gripping Liam's chin in one hand, forcing the young man to look up at him. "Do you want me, Liam?" he asked. 

"Yes," Liam breathed. 

"Good." Theo reached up on the wall, pulling a riding crop down. He held it out, placing the leather tongue of the crop under Liam's chin. "On your knees, then."

Liam gulped, his blue eyes wide as he sank to his knees. Theo kept his control with the riding crop perfect, applying just a slight pressure under Liam's chin, lowering the crop with the young man as he made his way to his knees. 

"Are you going to be good, Liam?" Theo asked, tilting his head to the side. 

"Never," Liam said, smiling up at him. 

Theo raised the crop, gently tapping Liam on the cheek with it. 

"Good. I like you spunky. Now come on, get to it. We haven't got all day." 

And with the image of Theo before him, immaculate in his riding gear, and the memory of the riding crop against his skin, Liam did just that. 

"You're improving," Theo gasped as Liam rose to his feet again, wiping his mouth and leaning in to kiss Theo desperately. 

"Yeah, well," Liam grinned. "I have a good teacher. "Now come on, my turn."

"I don't believe we agreed to preconditions," Theo said, a glint in his infuriating, color changing eyes. 

"Oh, you asshole!" Liam reached out, and with one swift motion, grabbed the riding crop from Theo. He reached down and swatted Theo in the thigh with it. 

"You know," Theo said with a laugh. "I could have you arrested and thrown in a dungeon for assaulting a prince."

"Somehow," Liam said with a smirk. "I don't think you'd mind that in the slightest."

"Somehow," Theo mimicked. "I don't think _you_ would mind it."

"Fair enough." Liam leaned in, grabbing Theo by the collar of his disgustingly preppy polo shirt, and kissing him deeply. 

He used the fact that Theo was lost in the kiss to his advantage, turning them so that he had his back against the wall, and Theo was in front of him. 

"Now come on," Liam said with a grin, swatting at Theo with the crop again. 

"You know," Theo said, looking at Liam, amused. "You really shouldn't handle things you don't have experience with."

"I handled you just fine," Liam challenged. 

"Oh, sweetheart," Theo said, leaning in, his breath hot against Liam's ear. "You've barely handled me at all." He leaned in, pressing a kiss to Liam's throat, while, at the same time, snatching the crop back from him and tossing it aside. 

"Hey!" Liam argued. 

"It's not my fault you were distracted," Theo said. 

"Um, it is exactly your fault that I was distracted, and you know it!"

"You know," Theo said, holding his gaze with Liam's as he dropped to his knees. "If you keep making me use my mouth to argue with you, I won't be able to use it for other things."

"Got it." Liam gulped. "Shutting up now."

"A wise choice." 

Theo reached up, his still-gloved fingers expertly undoing the button on Liam's pants. He pulled them down, Liam's boxers along with them, and pressed a gentle kiss to Liam's inner thigh before taking him into his mouth. 

"Jesus fucking Christ!" Liam gasped, palms flat against the wall of the tack room as he did his best to stay upright. 

Liam knew that he was getting better, but he still had nothing on Theo's skills. He felt his eyes practically roll back in his head as Theo went down on him. 

"Is there _anything_ you're not good at?" Liam asked as Theo rose to his feet once again. 

"I'll let you know if I figure something out," Theo teased. He reached out, putting a hand on Liam's hip, and drawing him into another kiss. 

It had only been two weeks since they had seen each other at the State Dinner, since they had spent hours in bed together, naked, intertwined, and making out, but it had felt like a lot longer, and both young men were desperate for each other. 

"I can't believe," Liam breathed between kisses. "That you got me to come to Greenwich for a fucking polo match."

"Let's be honest," Theo replied, nipping at Liam's lower lip. "You didn't come here for the match."

"No," Liam grinned. "I really didn't."

They stayed like that for nearly an hour, Liam pressed up against the wall of the tack room, kissing. Their hands explored what skin they could, pushing beneath the hems of each other's shirts. 

"I really, really wish that you weren't leaving right now," Liam admitted as he tucked his button up back into his slacks. 

"Believe me," Theo said, smoothing his own shirt down. "The thought of having you to myself in a hotel room is absolutely overwhelming. If I had it my way, I would be staying."

"You're the prince," Liam said. "Make it so."

"Oh, Liam," Theo said, something almost sad in his voice. "If only it were that easy."

"Isn't it?" Liam asked, confused. "You're a _prince_."

"There is so much about being royal that you don't understand." Theo sighed. 

"So tell me," Liam said. "I want to understand." 

"One day, maybe." Theo raised the hand that Liam had taken and brought it to his lips, kissing Liam's fingers. "For now, I have to go. I think it's best you stay in here for a few minutes to avoid arousing suspicion."

"Theo," Liam said, tugging the other man closer to him. "I'll see you soon?"

"Oh." Theo leaned down, pressing a searing kiss to Liam's lips. "I'm counting on it."

Before Liam even had a chance to recover from the kiss, Theo was out the door. Liam leaned back up against the wall of the tack room, taking deep breaths, and trying to figure out what the hell he was doing in Greenwich, Connecticut, hiding in a supply room so that he could hook up with a prince. 

Not just any prince, the prince of England, and perhaps the world's most eligible bachelor.

***  
  
 **From: liam@dunbaradministration.com  
** **To: Theodore**

**Hey,  
** **I've been thinking about that polo match for like three weeks now, and I still don't understand the rules. Is it just croquet with horses? Is there more to it? Are you ever going to explain it to me?  
** **Sincerely,  
** **Liam**

**From: princetheodore@kensingtonpalace.co.uk  
** **To: L**

**Liam,  
** **I believe I recall trying to explain it to you over the phone the other day, only for you to interrupt me several times with various other thoughts.  
** **Regards,  
** ******Theo**

**From: liam@dunbaradministration.com  
** **To: Theodore**

**God, I don't even remember that! What can I say? Your country has managed to popularize the most boring sport known to mankind.  
** **Sincerely,  
** **Liam**

**From: princetheodore@kensingtonpalace.co.uk  
** **To: L**

**Funny, I have a vivid memory of you being very, very much engaged in the tack room...  
** **Regards,  
** **Theo**

**From: liam@dunbaradministration.com  
** **To: Theodore**

**Yeeeeah, that had nothing to do with polo, and everything to do with a riding crop, and your mouth.  
** **Sincerely,  
** **Liam**

**From: princetheodore@kensgintonpalace.co.uk  
** **To: L**

**If I remember correctly, there was a time that you thought I was boring as well? I believe the exact word you used was "robotic".  
** **Regards,  
** **Theo**

**From: liam@dunbaradministration.com  
** **To: Theodore**

**Yes, well, recently some of your more interesting qualities have been brought to light. See previous email re: riding crop and mouth.  
** **Sincerely,  
** **Liam**

**From: princetheodore@kensingtonpalace.co.uk  
** **To: L**

**You are, without a doubt, going to be the death of me.  
** **Regards,  
** **Theo**

**From: liam@dunbaradministration.com  
** **To: Theodore**

**Haaaaaaaaa. I mean, as long as it's biblical death, I don't really see the problem with that.  
** **Sincerely,  
** **Liam**

**From: princetheodore@kensgintonpalace.co.uk  
** **To: L**

**I'll have you know I just choked on my tea in a meeting. With the prime minister.  
** **Regards,  
** **Theo**

**From: liam@dunbaradministration.com  
** **To: Theodore**

**It’s not my fault you can't keep from checking your phone for 12 seconds.  
** **Sincerely,  
** **Liam**

**From: princetheodore@kensgintonpalace.co.uk  
** **To: L**

**It is, in fact, 100% your fault.  
** **Regards,  
** **Theo**

**From: liam@dunbaradministration.com  
** **To: Theodore**

**Potato, potahto. Anyways, are you going to the youth summit on climate change in Paris next week?  
** **Sincerely,  
** **Liam**

**From: princetheodore@kensingtonpalace.co.uk  
** **To: L**

**I'm afraid not. I am being carted off to Italy to oversee the erection of some statue on behalf of the royal family.  
** **Regards,  
** **Theo**

**From: liam@dunbaradministration.com  
** **To: Theodore**

**Huge bummer. Wouldn't you much rather be overseeing** **_my_ ** **erection?  
** **Sincerely,  
** **Liam**

**From: princetheodore@kensingtonpalace.co.uk  
** **To: L**

**You are a terror.  
** **...I'll try to get out of Italy.  
** **Regards,  
** **Theo**

*******

"I can't wait for Paris," Mason said as they boarded the private plane that would be transporting him and Liam to the youth summit. "It's the city of love, and Corey is going to be there..."

"It's getting pretty real between you two, isn't it?" Liam asked. 

"I mean, as real as it can with an ocean between us, but he means a lot to me. I mean, just talking to him makes me feel better, you know? And his snapchat game is terrible. He's always making these goofy faces, and it makes me laugh, you know? He's got a heart made out of gold, and a body sculpted from marble."

"Gross." Liam wrinkled his nose as he settled into his seat. "Has anyone ever told you that you're kind of disgusting when you're in love?"

"I'm not in love," Mason objected. 

"You're flying to Paris for an international booty call," Liam pointed out. 

"I'm flying to Paris for a summit on climate change," Mason corrected. "The international booty call part just happens to be a plus."

"Mhmmm." Liam nodded. "Sure."

"I don't know him well enough to be in love with him yet," Mason admitted, rationality shining through his words. 

"Okay, yeah, that's...fair enough." Liam nodded. "But you're getting there?"

"Yeah." Mason nodded. "I'm getting there, and I think that a weekend in Paris is exactly what the love doctor ordered."

"You're getting gross again," Liam warned. 

"Yeah, well, I had to listen to you be gross when you were crushing on Hayden, and Kira, and so on and so forth, so..."

"Okay, shutting up now," Liam conceded. 

"I'm sorry that I'm ditching sharing a room with you," Mason admitted. 

"Hey, it's fine! I really, really don't want to deal with the headlines that would bring, anyways. **First Son of the United States Sexiled in Parisian Hotel While Best Friend, Son of Vice President Hewitt, Makes Love to Philanthropist Corey Bryant For Hours and Hours.** " Liam cited. 

"Okay, first off, that is _way_ too long to be a headline, second..." Mason trailed off.

"Second?" Liam asked. 

"No, the rest of that is actually pretty spot on," Mason admitted. 

Liam rolled his eyes and elbowed Mason in the arm, but there was a smile on his face the entire time, and no real malice there. It had been a long time since Liam had seen his best friend this worked up by a boy. In fact, Liam wasn't sure that he had ever seen Mason this worked up about a boy. Mason was focused, and brilliant, and he let that guide his life rather than gallivanting around with the gay who's who of Capitol Hill. Mason could have had his pick from a string of lovers, but he often opted to stay at home running analytics on policy, or playing video games with Liam instead. This thing with Corey was new and interesting for Liam to watch, and it seemed to be making Mason happy. 

Really happy. 

So happy, in fact, that Liam was doing his level best not to hold it against Mason that _he_ was going to get laid in Paris while Liam lay in his bed, firing off upsettingly thirsty late night text messages to Prince Theo, who would receive them from Italy. 

It was difficult, being so close to each other, being in the same time zone, and not being able to do a goddamned thing about it. 

After all, what Mason and Corey had was heading down the path of a relationship. The way that Mason looked at his phone when he was texting let Liam know instantly that it was Corey, and not anyone else. He had cottoned on to the fact that Mason was ten times more animated when talking about Corey than he was anyone else. Liam could even tell from the smile on Mason's face when Corey had updated his Instagram. His best friend was falling in love, and what he had with Prince Theo? Well, it was decidedly not that. 

It was just two young men, heartthrobs of their respective countries, hooking up whenever they got the chance. It was a physical distraction, something to take the place of the resentment they had had for one another for so long. 

Theo and Liam were exactly what they had been before, except now instead of trading glares and aggressive insults, they were trading blowjobs, kisses, and, well, slightly less aggressive insults. Whatever it was, Liam was happy with it. 

Whatever it was, he wished that he would be experiencing it in Paris. 

"Man, you good?" Mason asked as the plane took off. 

"Yeah." Liam nodded. 

This was another chance to tell Mason everything, another opportunity to open his mouth and spill, and he still wasn't doing it. One day, he knew, this was going to bite him in the ass. He couldn't keep this from Mason forever, he knew that, but for now, he had to do his best. He just wasn't ready yet. He wasn't ready to let anyone else know what he and Theo had. 

Especially since he didn't exactly know what it was that he and Theo had. 

"You sure?" Mason frowned. "You look...I don't know. Far away."

"Just thinking about my speech," Liam said. 

"Your speech is perfect," Mason said. "I should know, I practically wrote it for you."

"Excuse you," Liam said, turning from the window to look at his best friend. "I helped!"

"You did, you did," Mason admitted. "But the speech is perfect. We make a good team."

"Yeah." Liam smiled. "We really do."

He turned back to gaze out the window as they soared above the clouds. What kind of friend was he? Unable to tell his best friend, his platonic better half, the biggest secret that he had ever had in his life.

He realized, as they rose thousands of feet above the ground, that he was afraid of what it might mean if someone else found out. He was afraid that Mason would tell him all of the very practical and logical reasons why it wasn't a good idea, and Liam? He didn't want to hear them. He _knew_ that what he and Theo were doing was a bad idea. 

He just didn't want to stop.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam and Mason attend the summit in Paris, and the city of love draws both of them deeper into their respective relationships.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, special thanks to Ell_002 for all of the French translations, and to Sefinh for the lovely graphic for this chapter, which can be found on my tumblr purplehoodiesandleatherjackets.tumblr.com. Anyways, thank you to everyone for continuing to read!

When Liam made his way back to his hotel room after the first day of the summit, he was flying high. He had given his speech, and Mason was right, it had been perfect. It was rousing, a passionate call to arms for the youth of the world to step in, to start solving the problems that older generations were struggling to make headway on. He had been met with a standing ovation, and he had ridden that good feeling all the way back to his very nice, four star hotel. 

Where he was now all alone.  
  
Mason and Corey had invited him to come out for drinks with them, but even with their earnest insistence that he was welcome to join them, it was clear that they wanted some alone time. Liam knew very well just how difficult it was for them to find time together, and he didn’t want to get in the way. Besides, he was pretty sure that he would be left feeling like a third wheel anyways, and that wasn’t any fun at all.  
  
He had ordered room service, and was flipping through the channels, definitely _not_ looking for a story on Prince Theo and the Italian statue, when there was a knock on his door. Given that his security was insane, he was sure that it was either Boyd, Erica, or possibly Mason, and he rose, opening it.  
  
Liam wasn’t sure that he could ever have managed to recreate the look of shock on his face as he saw Prince Theo standing in the doorway. 

“That was quite the speech you gave,” Theo said with a wry smile.

“I…” Liam didn’t even know what to say. “What are you _doing_ here?”  
  
“I managed to convince my team that making an appearance at the Climate Change Summit would be good for the royal family’s status,” Theo explained. “I flew directly from Italy, made it just in time for your speech, which I must say was very compelling. Now,” he tilted his head to the side. “Are you going to let me in, or shall I stay here, standing in the doorway like an idiot.”  
  
“As much as I like it when you look like an idiot, yeah, come on in.”  
  
Liam stepped back, making room for Theo to enter. The prince closed the door behind him, looking around the suite as he did so.  
  
“Nice room,” Theo said.  
  
“Really?” Liam said. “You jetted here from Italy to tell me that my hotel suite was nice?”  
  
“No.” Theo shook his head. “I jetted here from Italy to see your speech.”  
  
“How did you even get in here?” Liam asked.  
  
“One of your security helped me - a very useful woman, very blonde? Erica, I think her name was?” Theo said. “Told me if I harmed one hair on your head, that no one would ever find my body.”  
  
“Yeah, that’s Erica,” Liam said with a laugh.  
  
“I have to say,” Theo said. “It was very intense. I think, were even one small part of me interested in women, I would be on one knee, proposing marriage to her.”  
  
“You really have a thing for people threatening your life, don’t you?” Liam asked with a grin, stepping forwards to Theo. “Must be why you like me so much.”  
  
“I despise you,” Theo said.  
  
“You adore me,” Liam countered, moving closer to him. “You’re impressed by me, you think I’m smart. You think I’m interesting, you think-”  
  
“I think if you don’t kiss me right this instant,” Theo began. “I’m going to explode.”  
  
“Well,” Liam grinned. “We can’t have that.”  
  
He leaned in, pressing his lips to Theo’s, letting the feeling of the other man’s presence wash over him. This was the last thing that Liam had been expecting - seeing Theo here, in Paris, but he was not going to complain. He had been lonely, sitting in his hotel room channel flipping, but now? Now all of that was gone. Theo’s arms wrapped around him, and Liam couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

“Did you really like my speech?” Liam asked as they pulled away.  
  
“Yes, you absolute sod,” Theo said. “Now shut up.”  
  
“Make me,” Liam said, raising one eyebrow to the prince.  
  
“With pleasure.”  
  
At first, it was frantic, frenetic, the two of them groping at each other, falling into the bed together, trading blowjobs like they had done the last two times they had seen each other, but as they realized that they had the whole night together, things slowed down.  
  
They were in Paris. Theo didn’t have to go back to his own hotel room. He didn’t even _have_ his own hotel room as far as Liam knew. His things were in Corey’s room for now, but neither of them were sure where Mason and Corey were, and frankly, neither of them cared at the moment.  
  
“Okay,” Liam smiled. He hooked a leg over Theo’s thigh, using it to draw the other man in closer. “I’ve been trying to figure this out for ages now. What color are your eyes?”

"You're looking at them right now, aren't you?" Theo asked, clearly amused as he gazed into Liam's pale blue eyes. 

"Well, yes," Liam frowned. "But I just...I thought they were blue, and then they looked green, then hazel, and now blue again..."

"You spend a lot of time looking at my eyes?"

"I literally googled Prince Theodore eye color, and I hate myself for it," Liam admitted. 

"You did, did you?" Theo smiled.

"Would you stop enjoying this so much, please, and answer my question?" 

"Never." Theo leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to the corner of Liam's mouth. "You googled it. You tell me."

"Evidence inconclusive," he complained. "Every site had a different answer, and every image looked different."

"Ah." Theo smiled. "I've never googled my own eye color before."

"Really? I assumed with you how narcissistic-"

"They're grey," Theo said, cutting him off. 

"What?" Liam asked. 

"My eyes are grey," he explained. "They look different because they reflect other colors differently than the more common eye colors."

"Oh." Liam smiled. "So you have kaleidoscope eyes."

"I have grey eyes," Theo said. 

"No." Liam shook his head. He reached out, tracing his finger down Theo's jawline as he leaned in close. "You have kaleidoscope eyes."

Theo closed the distance between them, drawing Liam into a deep kiss. It was slow, and unhurried, Theo's hand going to card through Liam's hair. Liam's hand stayed where it was, cupping Theo's jaw as they made out, tangled together in the hotel room bed. 

"Please tell me that you're staying for the rest of the summit," Liam practically whined as they pulled away. 

It may have only been one more full day, but Liam knew that Theo's schedule was busy, that there was every chance that he would be off come morning. 

"I'm staying for the rest of the summit," Theo confirmed. 

"Oh thank god." Liam leaned in, capturing Theo's lips again. He had just gotten the other man in his arms, and he wasn't ready to let him go again. Not just yet.

***  
  
Liam wasn’t sure exactly when they fell asleep. Between the talking, and the making out, the hours seemed to melt into each other just as Liam melted into Theo. Regardless, the First Son slept well in the prince's arms. 

When he woke the next morning, the bedside light was on, and Theo was already sitting up, a cup of tea on the nightstand beside him, a newspaper in his hand. 

"What time is it?" Liam grumbled. 

"6:30," Theo said softly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"I don't think you did," Liam yawned, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. 

Theo was no longer naked, but was wearing only a pair of boxers. _Liam's_ boxers, the First Son realized, as he took a closer look. He smiled, and said nothing. 

"What are you reading?" Liam asked. 

" _Le Monde_ ," Theo said, showing him the French newspaper. "An article about the summit."

"Mmmm." Still half asleep, Liam snuggled in closer to Theo. The prince smiled, putting his arm around Liam, allowing the other man to rest on his chest. "Read it to me?" Liam asked. 

" **CLIMATE CHANGE YOUTH SUMMIT.** " Theo began with the headline. "Yesterday, hundreds of tomorrow's leaders gathered in Paris to talk about today's issue of climate change."

"No, no," Liam cut him off. "Um, in French."

"Do you speak French?" Theo asked. 

"No." Liam smiled, pressing a gentle kiss to Theo's chest, just above his nipple. 

"Very well, then." Theo raised the paper again, starting over. " **CONFÉRENCE DE LA JEUNESSE SUR LE CHANGEMENT CLIMATIQUE.”** Theo paused, dropping a kiss to the top of Liam's head before continuing. "Hier, plusieurs centaines des dirigeants de demain se sont réunis à Paris pour discuter du problème d'aujourd'hui qu'est le changement climatique."

Liam yawned and closed his eyes, letting Theo's soft voice and lilting French lull him back to sleep. 

When he woke the second time, he was alone in the bed. Theo's clothes were gone, and the only sign that he had ever been there were the rumpled sheets, and the empty tea mug on the bedside table.

Even the copy of _Le Monde_ was gone.

With a sigh of frustration, Liam checked his phone, but there was nothing. He leaned in, pressing his nose to the pillow, pulling Theo's scent from it, just to make sure that he hadn't imagined the whole thing. 

Sure, Liam could stay in bed and pout about the fact that the prince had left the other side of the bed cold, but he had a summit to attend, and with a heavy sigh, he pulled himself out of bed. On a chair, his boxers - the ones that Theo had been wearing - were neatly folded, and Liam was sure that Theo wasn't coming back. 

Liam stumbled to the shower, blissed out from the night before, but grumpy to have woken up alone.

***

There was a distinct weight in Liam's chest as he headed back to the summit. 

"Hey," Mason smiled, handing Liam a latte as they settled into their seats. "Sorry about ditching you last night."

"No you aren't," Liam said, playfully jabbing his best friend in the ribs. 

"Yeah, you're right. Corey and I did invite you to breakfast this morning, though."

"Yeah, sorry, by the time I saw your text it was too late, I slept in."

"Oh." Mason nodded. "Hey, did you know that Theo showed up?"

"Oh?" Liam didn't know how to play this off, so he went for surprised, which was, in retrospect, probably stupid. He and Theo were friends. Publicly. It would have made perfect sense for the prince to let him know via text that he had changed his plans, and arrived at the summit anyways.

“Yeah,” Mason said. “Last night. Apparently he was at the last part of the summit, just observing.”  
  
“Well, good for him,” he said. “England could use a representative here who isn’t just looking to screw my best friend.”  
  
“You’re ruthless,” Mason said, though he was smiling.  
  
“Well?” Liam asked. “How was it?”  
  
“ _Divine._ ”  
  
Liam let Mason’s joy seep into him. Yes, there was disappointment that his own late night visitor had left him come morning, but it was impossible to let it get to him entirely when Mason was so happy. There was something about Mason’s energy that was so contagious, and even with the heavy nature of the summit they were at, Liam couldn’t help but smile.  
  
His smile was even more genuine when, as the summit broke for lunch, he noticed a text from Theo.  
  
‘ **Meet me’** was all it said, followed by an address. 

“I’m going to have lunch with Corey,” Mason said. “Do you want to come?”  
  
“No.” Liam shook his head. “I’m gonna go meet Theo for a sandwich or something, I think. I’ll see you back here after?”  
  
“Yeah.” Mason nodded. “Sounds good.”  
  
“Great.”

Liam got up, and with only Boyd and Erica accompanying him, headed to the address that Theo had sent. 

Based on their previous interactions, Liam had been expecting the address to lead to a hotel, or some clandestined AirBnB where they could be alone, but when they arrived, he was shocked to find himself at a café. It was hidden on a side street, and there were only a couple of tables and chairs outside, and maybe one or two inside. For a moment, he was sure that he had the wrong place until he saw Theo, sitting at one of the outside tables, a book in his hands.  
  
With a grin, he walked up behind him, plucking the book out of his hands.  
  
“ _The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet,_ ” Liam read. “Hmmm. This hardly looks like Dickensian literature to me.”  
  
“Give that back, you menace,” Theo said with a smile, snatching the book back from Liam.  
  
“You were gone this morning,” Liam accused, sitting down at the table.  
  
“Yes,” Theo sighed. “I’m sorry about that, but I had to be seen exiting my own hotel room.”  
  
“I thought you didn’t have one.”  
  
“It’s amazing what can be procured when you’re the Prince of England.”  
  
“See, when you say stuff like that, you sound like an ass,” Liam retorted.  
  
“When I say stuff like that, I _feel_ like an ass,” Theo admitted. “But that doesn’t make it any less true.”  
  
“Fair enough.” Liam couldn’t argue with that - after all, Theo was agreeing with him. Maybe the world was ending. “Anyways, why are we here?”  
  
“Because this little café has the best croissants in all of Paris. In all the world. I’ve ordered already.”  
  
“Ordering for me, huh?” Liam tilted his head to the side.  
  
“It’s my favorite food in the whole world,” Theo explained. “I wanted you to try it.”  
  
“I thought your favorite food was blood pudding,” Liam challenged.  
  
“You have to know by now that the things on that fact sheet...they’re not me. Not the real me.” Theo paused as two cups of coffee, and two still-warm croissants with jam were placed in front of them. He politely thanked the server, in French, of course, and waited until the man was gone before continuing. “That is just the version of me that the palace wants to be seen.”  
  
“Oh.” Liam nodded. Sure, deep down, he had realized that not _everything_ on that fact sheet was accurate, but he hadn’t realized that they would modify everything, down to Theo’s favorite food. After all, warm croissants from a French hole in the wall caf é hardly seemed like a bad answer.  
  
It wasn’t, however, very _English_ , Liam supposed.  
  
“Yes.” Theo tucked the book that he had been reading into the bag that rested at his feet. “It seems that there is still plenty you don’t know about me.”

"What did mine say?" Liam asked, curiously. "My fact sheet, I mean," he clarified. "I never got the chance to look at it."

"Ah, yours, I'm sure, was entirely correct. It said that you were an impertinent ass."

"Mmm, must have been a mistake." Liam grinned. "I'm sure it was supposed to say ‘has a pert ass' instead."

"Your entire existence is an unmitigated disaster," Theo said, looking Liam directly in the eye. 

"And you love every second of it," Liam replied with a big grin. 

Unable to argue against that, Theo dug into his croissant. Liam joined him, unable to hold back the moan that escaped his lips as he took his first bite. 

"Holy crap," he said, his mouth still full. "You were right, this is amazing."

"You were raised by wolves," Theo said, shaking his head as he spread some raspberry jam on a perfectly bite-sized piece of his croissant. "I'm certain of it."

"Oh live a little!" Liam laughed, reaching for Theo's croissant. He dipped it into the jam, and shoved a big piece of it in Theo's face. 

By the time Theo was done chewing, he was laughing and wiping jam off of his mouth. 

"You are an animal," Theo stated. 

"Maybe." Liam shrugged. "But at least I'm having fun." 

Theo just smiled, trying his best to pull his gaze from Liam as he took a sip of his coffee. They were, after all, in public. 

"So, if Dickens isn't your favorite author, and blood pudding isn't your favorite food, I have to ask. Do you actually enjoy competitive yachting?" Liam asked. 

Theo couldn't help the laugh that burst out of him at the question. 

"The diplomatic answer? Of course I do. The real answer?" He paused, looking at Liam long and hard. "The only thing I've found truly thrilling in years is you."

That stopped Liam dead in his tracks, a bite of croissant half way to his mouth. 

"It's not fair when you say things like that!" Liam exclaimed.

"How do you mean?"

"Because you've got those...those _writer_ genetics! I can't compete with that shit!" He set his croissant down on his plate. 

"No." Theo grinned. "I suppose you can't. But don't worry." He leaned a little closer under the guise of reaching for the sugar. "The way that you look up at me from down your knees more than makes up for it."

"This is it," Liam said. "You're doing it, you're finally killing me."

"La petite mort," Theo said with a wink as he leaned back in his chair, and away from Liam.

Liam could barely breathe as he reached for his coffee. He felt like the tie around his neck was strangling him, and he wondered how Theo was able to do it - to say something like that, and then lean back in his seat and take a bite of his croissant like he wasn't causing an international incident in Liam's pants.

***

A few hours into the back half of the summit, Liam received a trio of texts from Stiles. The first was a picture of him and Theo, laughing at the outside table of their little café, jam still slightly smeared on Theo's face, followed by two more, reading: 

**Good work, Liam. Looks like the world is eating up your friendship.** **  
****  
****You're still a little shithead, though.**

Liam didn't reply, he just smiled and pocketed his phone. As he attempted to tune back into the speaker, he couldn't help but think about the absolute fits that Stiles would be going into if he knew the _actual_ relationship between Theo and Liam. He knew that Stiles would be flamingly irate, and some part of Liam got a perverse pleasure from that. 

Still, Stiles couldn't know. No one could know, except those who already did know. Erica, he was sure, had figured it out, and if Erica knew, Boyd knew, but they wouldn't tell anyone. At least _someone_ on Theo's team - Derek, Liam was pretty sure - had to know, because someone had had to escort Theo out of Liam's hotel room that morning, but aside from that, aside from a few trusted staff, no one could be looped in. It felt too dangerous, and Liam wanted to protect this... _thing_ , this whatever it was, that he had with Theo. Even if that meant lying to the people closest to him.  
  
***

The summit ended, and Theo, Corey, Liam, and Mason all went out for dinner before Corey and Mason slunk off looking equal parts guilty and excited. Theo and Liam pretended to part ways as well, but an hour later, Theo was at Liam's hotel room door, and once again, they found their way to bed together. 

It was another night spent between the sheets, another night full of conversation balanced in the meaningless and meaningful. Between words and thoughts exchanged, they shared long, languid kisses. They fought to stay awake, to cling to these precious moments they had together, but at some point during the night, sleep overcame them both. 

Liam fell asleep with Theo in his arms, and woke up with them empty. He looked over at the clock, sighing as he realized it was 8 AM. He almost never slept this late, either because an alarm went off, or his body just woke him, but a combination of the jet lag, the late night, and the comfort of sleeping with the prince in his arms kept him out longer than usual. 

Long enough to miss Theo's departure. Again. 

Beside him, on the spare pillow, where the head of the man he was falling for had previously rested, was a note. The words were scrawled in Theo's perfect cursive on the hotel stationery. 

**I had to go back to England. I didn't want to wake you, you looked so peaceful sleeping. Last night was a revelation. A la prochaine, mon trésor.**

Liam reached for his phone, opening up an online translator and typing in the French as best he could. 

_See you next time, my treasure._

With a groan, Liam fell back on the bed. Theo may have been gone, but the indent of his head was still on the pillow, and it took every ounce of willpower that Liam had not to shove that pillow into his suitcase as he packed up to head back to America. 

As Liam tucked the note into his back pocket, he had no idea just how long it would be until "next time" came around.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theo and Liam attempt to navigate some of the challenges of their relationship, and a late night heart to heart opens both men up to each other in new ways. Also, I cried while writing this chapter, so enjoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry for the slower updates - my computer has been acting up, and I have been a lot busier, but don't worry, the story is still going to be posted to completion!

It wasn't easy, finding reasons to be in the same place. Theo had so many obligations, and Liam? He had just as many. His work on his mother's campaign consumed him in a lot of ways, and he spent day after day trying to find Argent’s weaknesses, or at least something that they could use against him. He hadn't officially thrown his hat in the ring yet, but they knew it was coming, and the sooner they got the jump on him, the better. There was still about a year and some change until the primaries started, and two years until the general, but things were already getting started.

The wheels in the Dunbar administration were always turning, so at least Liam had somewhere for his mind to go when he couldn't be with Theo. He had Stiles there, practically breathing down his neck, helping him figure out where he needed to be with everything in the campaign. He had tasks every day to do at work, and when he was finished for the day, he had Mason, he had his millions of obligations as the First Son of the United States, and it was easy to throw himself into all of those things.    
  
Of course, it was also easy to find himself drifting, thinking about Theo when he shouldn’t have been. It was easy, when he was staring at foreign policy, to wonder if Theo was reading the same document, or the same report. It was easy to picture Theo sitting at a desk, studying the same words that Liam was poring over from thousands of miles away. It was easy to grab his phone, fire off a text or e-mail to the prince, and spend the next hours lost in waiting for a reply.

He tried to ignore the tightening in his chest when his phone lit up with a message from the prince. He tried to ignore the way that his brain short circuited when Theo called him ‘ mon trésor,’ or spoke to him at all in French over the phone. He tried to find ways, places for them to be able to be together, but it was hard. It was so very hard. Sure, there were events, and fundraisers world wide, but even with their public friendship, there was only so much that he could realistically forsake to go chasing Theo around the globe before the world would question the true nature of what they had.

He couldn’t afford that, and he knew that Theo couldn’t either. 

It felt like a lifetime away since they had been in Paris together, and the gala they were both to attend in Berlin was still a week or so away, but Liam kept his head down and pushed forwards. There was so much to work towards, so much to work  _ for _ right now, and he didn’t want to put anything on the back burner - not the campaign, not his responsibilities as First Son, and not Theo.   
  
***

"Do you have a last name?"

"Excuse me?" 

"Do you have a last name?" Liam was lying on his back in his bedroom, his phone resting on his chest, just the way it often was when they were talking together. 

"Of course I have a last name," Theo said. 

"Is it Raeken? Like your dad? Or is there some kind of...royal last name?"

"I'm afraid if I tell you, I'll never hear the end of it," Theo admitted. 

"Okay, well now you have to tell me," Liam said. 

"I don't  _ have  _ to do anything."

"Oh, but you're going to." Liam could sense the playful tone in Theo's voice, and he knew that he was going to cave. " _ Please _ tell me there's a 'Reginald' in there somewhere."

"There's no 'Reginald,' Liam," Theo said with a laugh.

"Tell me."

"No."

"Tell me."

"No."

"Tell meeeeeee."

"I will hang up on you."

"You won't."

"I will," Theo said, but it was clear that there was no real threat there. 

"I'll tell you my middle name," Liam said, trying to put something on the table. 

"It's Eugene."

"Fuck." Liam sighed. "Come on, tell me!"

"You could Google it, you know."

"I  _ know _ ," Liam whined. "But I want to hear you say it."

"I know you're going to make fun of me," Theo said. 

"Well if you already know it's going to happen, just give in already. Why delay the inevitable any further?"

"You are incorrigible."

"I won't be denied," Liam said. "Come on, I'll make it worth your while."

"Oh?" 

Theo was clearly interested, and Liam couldn't help but grin. He had Theo by the balls, and he knew it.

"Uh huh." Liam grinned. "I'll do that thing with my tongue that you showed me in Paris..."

"Theodore Henry George Harold Raeken-Montchristen-Windsor," Theo said quickly. 

"Gesundheit?"

Theo burst out laughing, and Liam couldn't help but laugh along with him. There was something so contagious, something so alluring about Theo's laugh. 

Since they had gotten to know each other, Liam had learned Theo. He had learned how to differentiate when Theo was putting on a voice, a laugh, anything for the sake of the monarchy. He knew when Theo's laugh was real, and one of the greatest joys he got lately was being able to draw that real laugh out of him. 

He had also learned that Theo had moods. Most of the time, he was happy, or at least content, but sometimes, Liam couldn't help but notice that he would slip into a darker place. His tone of voice would go low, and there would be one word responses, one word texts. 

Liam didn't know what to do, really, when Theo was in one of those moods, so he just let the prince ride them out. He didn't push him, he didn't force him to say anything, but he didn't leave him alone, either. 

He wouldn't say it out loud, but Liam was afraid of what might happen if Theo was left to his own devices when his moods dipped low. Right now, though, lying on his bed, hearing Theo's real, genuine laugh burst through the phone, he wasn't worried about that dark place. 

"Theodore Henry George Harold Raeken-Montchrisen-Windsor," Theo said again, this time slower. 

"Damn," Liam said. "Not gonna lie, I thought that it was going to be sexy, but that's just...WASPy as fuck."

"I don't know what that means."

"Never mind," Liam said. "Who the hell thought it was okay to give you that many names? How did you ever make it through school with a name like that?"

"We used the surname Wales in school - me and Tara."

Liam bit his lip. Theo didn't talk about his sister much, and Liam was afraid to push Theo too much about his family, especially right now, when things were so good. 

"Theodore Wales," Liam said. "Very regal."

"Indeed." There was a pause on the other line before Theo spoke again. "I used to tell the other children to call me Theo Raeken. I liked my father's name, I liked that it was attached to all of his writing, and not so much to the crown. I didn't know what that meant when I was younger, but I liked it."

"And now?" Liam asked. 

"Now that's not an option. His name is just one in the middle of the titles required to be a royal." Theo paused. "Sometimes I feel as though he gets lost in all of this."

Liam rolled onto his side, his phone dropping onto the mattress next to him. 

"Tell me about him," he found himself saying. He knew that it would change the mood, the tone of their conversation, but he didn't care. If Theo felt like his father got lost in the blur of the monarchy, well, he didn't have to be lost here. 

"He wasn't noble," Theo said. "He was just a man, a writer that my mother met when she was in school. He was young and penniless when they met, not yet the name that he made for himself, but my mum? She didn't care."

Liam could almost hear the wistful tone in Theo's voice as he spoke, and he moved closer to his phone, as though in some way, that would bring him closer to Theo. 

"She fell in love with him right away, and he with her. They kept their relationship a secret, though. My mother was a princess, and my father? He had nothing but his words and his love to give her. It wasn't easy for them. They split up several times, and while they were apart, he wrote some of the classic novels that he's known for these days. He gained fame, he gained status, but it still wasn't enough for my grandmother, for the monarchy."

"Then how did he wind up your father?" Liam asked. 

"My mother stood her ground. My father asked her to marry him, and she said yes. But when they took it to my grandmother, the queen, they were denied. My mother put her foot down, however and told my grandmother that she would marry my father, even if that meant abdicating the throne. She put my grandmother in a vice grip. She was the only direct heir - I have no aunts or uncles on her side," he said. "Rather than risk the controversy of the only princess stepping down, my grandmother gave in. I don't think she's ever really forgiven my mother for that."

"Wow," Liam breathed. "I...why don't I know that?"

"No one does," Theo said. "My grandmother covered it perfectly. My mother was allowed to have her writer, and my grandmother got her perfect princess in exchange."

"I don't hear about your mother much," Liam said softly. 

"No, I think...when my father died, a piece of her did as well. Everyone has their hills that they die on, you see," Theo said. "And for my mother, that hill was my father. She put everything on the line to be with him, and when she lost him..."

Theo trailed off, and Liam could swear he heard a hitch in the other man's breathing.

"You don't have to talk about this," Liam said softly. 

"I know." Theo gulped. "I want to."

"Okay. Then...when you're ready, okay?"

"I'm ready."

Liam didn't say anything, he merely waited for Theo to start up again, to say something else. He was patient, allowing the prince to gather his thoughts. 

"When she lost him," Theo said finally. "I don't think she ever recovered. She broke, and I...I want to say that she tried, Liam, I really do, but she was never there after that. I was a very young man, and my sister a young woman, and our mother just disappeared. Our grandmother took over raising us at that point."

There was a silence on the other line, but still Liam said nothing. He wasn't sure what to say, what to begin with, and he wasn't sure that Theo was done. He could hear the prince breathing, a bit ragged, but there, and he wondered if Theo was crying. He didn't want to think about it, to think about those grey eyes glistening with tears, but he wasn't sure that he could avoid it. Theo's face was so vivid, so clear in his mind. Picturing it tearing up was far easier than Liam would have liked. 

"I worry," Theo said finally. "That the melancholy will grab hold of me, too. That it will drag me down the way that it did her."

"I won't let that happen."

The words escaped Liam's mouth before he even realized what he was saying, but even if he had the chance, he wouldn't take them back. 

"You are nothing like I thought you would be, Liam."

"What did you think I would be like?"

"Headstrong. Cocksure. Arrogant."

"Ah," Liam said, looking to lighten the mood, just a little. "But I am all of those things."

"You are." Theo laughed, but it wasn't as full, wasn't as deep as it had been before. "But you are so much more. There are fathoms beneath your surface that you don't let anyone see."

"So says the pot to the kettle," Liam said softly. 

"I suppose we all contain multitudes."

"Not everyone." Liam shook his head. "But you do."

"I never feel that way." Theo paused. "But perhaps it's just been so long since I've let anyone see them that I forget that they're there myself."

"You're good at hiding," Liam admitted. 

"Yes. I suppose I am."

"I thought that you were a husk for the longest time, an empty shell."

"I think that I tried to be," Theo admitted. "I think that I thought that it would be easier. To play the part, to be the toy soldier."

"Was it?" Liam asked. 

"It was impossible," Theo admitted. "Have you ever tried to feel nothing?"

"When I was younger," Liam said softly. "After my father left, I was in therapy for a long time, I had these anger issues, and they gave me this medication that just...it shut me down. I was tired all of the time, too tired to do much, too tired to feel much."

"And?"

"And it was killing me," Liam admitted. "So I stopped taking them."

"What happened?"

"I...it was bad for a while. There were lots of fights, in school, at home with my mother...it was rough for a few years, but we found another way. My stepdad put a lacrosse stick in my hand, and my therapist found the right breathing exercises. Sometimes, it still comes out, sometimes, I can barely stand it, but even those days are better than feeling nothing."

"You understand," Theo said, his tone almost amazed. "In ways I could never have imagined."

"I like understanding you."

"I wish..." Theo trailed off. 

"You wish?"

There was silence again, almost a full minute, and if Liam hadn't been able to hear Theo breathing on the other end, he would have thought the call had disconnected. 

"I wish that you were here. Or that I was there. I wish that I could thread my fingers through your hair, and breathe you in. I wish we were having this conversation face to face, so that I could lean into you, and you could lean into me. We are sharing so much right now, and I wish I could feel your words on my lips. Taste them on my tongue."

"Jesus Christ." Liam leaned back a little, his whole body aching with the want to be close to the other man. 

"What?" Theo asked. 

"When you  _ say  _ things like that, I just..." He trailed off. "I don't even know. I know  _ exactly _ what you mean, but I can never put it into words the way that you can."

"Isn't it enough?" Theo asked. "Knowing them? Feeling them?"

"I guess," Liam said. "I just...I don't know. It's nice. Hearing you put it into words."

"I'm glad that you think so," Theo said with a smile. 

"I think you'll make a great writer, Theo," Liam said. 

"Oh, Liam." Theo sighed, and it was heavy, deep. "I'll never be a writer."

"What? Why?" Liam frowned. 

"That's not how this works," he admitted. "It's...that's not an acceptable career path for a prince. I'll have a little while to do what I'm doing - work with Corey on his charities, but then I'll go into the military, and take up a plethora of royal duties that those before me have taken, and that's that."

"The military?" Liam frowned. Sure, Theo was strong, and muscled, but he couldn't picture him in the military. 

"It's what the men of the monarchy do," he said. "It's what's expected of me."

"So do the unexpected," Liam said. 

"It's not that simple, Liam."

"It doesn't have to be," Liam argued. "You said it just a minute ago, everyone has a hill that they'll die on."

"They do," Theo said thoughtfully. "I'm just not sure what mine is yet."

"It's not writing?"

"It could be," Theo said slowly. "Or it could be something else."

"You're still young. There's time to figure it out."

"I suppose. I'm just not sure that, when that time comes, I'll have the strength to fight that hard."

"Theo?"

"Yes, Liam?"

"Do you know that feeling? When you hear a song for the first time, and it's like it just punches you right in the chest, and you feel like you'll never be quite the same?"

"Er," Theo paused. "I think so, yes."

"That's how I feel when I talk to you." 

"Really?"

"Yes." Liam nodded. "You'll find your hill, Theo, and when you do, I have no doubt that you'll be strong enough to fight like hell for it."

"I hope so." Theo's voice was soft, barely audible. "I really, really hope so."

"You sound exhausted, Theo," Liam said. 

"It's late here."

"Go to sleep, Theo. We can talk tomorrow."

"I'll do my best." Theo said with a smile. "And I'll see you in Berlin?"

"Wild horses couldn't stop me."

"Good." 

Liam bit his lip. He didn't want to leave Theo with those one word answers. He didn't want to leave Theo in that dark place, heading down that lonely road. He didn't know exactly what that looked like for Theo, but now? After this conversation, he felt like he knew it a little bit better. 

"Goodnight, babe."

Liam couldn't see Theo, but he wished that he could. He wanted to know what face Theo was making as he processed the pet name that Liam had just called him. He wanted to be able to reach out, to wipe his tears away, if they were still there. He wanted to stare into those grey eyes and tell Theo to his face every wonderful thing he saw in the other man. He wanted to kiss away the insecurities that he now saw in every part of man he had once thought unwavering, unfeeling. 

"Bonne nuit, mon trésor." Theo's voice was still quiet, still low, but somehow, that made his words  _ that  _ much more appealing, and Liam could practically feel them course through his entire body. 

"Fuck," Liam breathed. "I love it when you speak French."

"I know." Theo smiled.

"You're a jerk."

"You love it."

"Goodnight, Theo."

"Goodnight, Liam."

Liam didn't hang up the phone. His finger hovered over the red button, but he couldn't do it. Instead, he waited for Theo to disconnect the call, and he lay there on his bed, staring at his phone, at the closest connection he had to the other man. 

Something had changed between them, just now. He wasn't sure what it was, or what it meant, but something had shifted, and Liam didn't know how to feel about that. 

There were huge risks to what they were doing, and with every step they took closer to each other, that risk increased.

Berlin was only a few days away, but it didn't seem close enough, and Liam didn't feel good about hanging up the way that they had. He didn't feel good about the tone of voice that Theo had had towards the end of their conversation. Even their playful banter at the end hadn't felt right, hadn't felt the same. With a deep breath, he lifted the phone, pressing the 'call' button again. 

"Liam?" Theo answered, his tone confused. 

"I'm sorry," Liam said. "But I...hanging up, something didn't feel good. Something didn't feel right, are you okay?"

"Yes, Liam," Theo replied. "I'm okay." He paused. "But you're right. Something didn't feel okay."

"Oh?" Liam asked. 

"Yes." Theo said. "We had to hang up for me to go to bed, rather than fall into each other's arms."

"Oh." Liam gulped. " _ Oh _ ."

It hit Liam like a Mack truck, that just because they were some version of _ together _ now didn't mean that the pining had stopped. In fact, if anything, it was worse than it ever had been. Before, they had merely had chemistry, an attraction that Theo had been well aware of, but that it had taken Liam longer to understand. Now, they knew each other. Now it was more than just a physical attraction. There was a connection there, and leaving it on the other end of a long distance phone call didn't seem right. 

They couldn't be together, so they didn't hang up this time. Liam pulled the blankets over him, and he fell asleep, his phone still connected to Theo's. There were no words, just the breathing of the other from an ocean away, and it wasn't enough. 

It wasn't enough, but it was better than the silence.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jealousy finds it's way into Liam and Theo's budding relationship, and Liam finally has a tough conversation with Mason about everything that he's feeling.

The Berlin gala was a rare form of torture.

Liam had taken special care to choose a grey suit. Light, and gorgeous, paired with a pale blue shirt, and deep blue tie. It was stupid, he knew, to even attempt to match his wardrobe to Theo's eyes, but even if Theo didn't notice, he wanted to put something out there, to show Theo that he listened to him, that when they spoke, he paid attention. That everything Theo said had stuck with him. 

He wanted to put a smile on the other man's face, even if that smile was from a world away. Even if he couldn't see it. Tonight, however, he would be able to see the smile, providing that he earned one. 

When he and Mason arrived at the gala, Corey and Theo were already there, and it wasn't long before they were standing in a group, having a glass of wine. Corey and Mason had only eyes for each other, and that provided an excuse for Theo and Liam to talk to each other. As always, Theo looked perfect. His suit was a deep navy blue, and it was tailored to him in all the right ways. 

Liam couldn't wait to rip it off of him in a hotel room later. 

They couldn't stay like that the whole night, however, side by side, so they separated, each working the room, dancing with women, shaking hands, and taking photos. 

It wasn't what Liam wanted. He wanted what Mason and Corey had. The two of them were on the dance floor, their arms around each other as they swayed together, talking, laughing, kissing. Liam hated being jealous of his best friend, but he couldn't help but wish that, rather than the girl in his arms, it was Theo. He didn't really know the mechanics of dancing with another man, but Corey and Mason made it look so easy, and he was certain that he would be able to figure it out if given the chance. 

Just being able to hold the other man would be enough. Instead, Liam was relegated to watching him from across the room, and every minute that it pushed closer to the end of the gala was agony. Liam wasn't here for the gala. He wasn't here for the foreign relations, or for the publicity for the Dunbar administration. He was here for Theo, for what would happen in his hotel room later, and everything leading up to that was borderline unbearable.

Mason and Corey disappeared after about an hour and a half, and Liam was jealous with how easy it was for them. The world knew they were a thing, and both of them were out. They were proud. They weren't quite as high profile as Liam and Theo were, and they didn't have to hide everything that they shared behind closed doors. They could sneak out of an event, laughing, hand in hand, and pile into the same Uber, connected at the hands and lips. The weight of the world was not on their shoulders, but it was on Liam's, and he was pretty sure that it was on Theo's, too. Possibly more so. In two to six years, Liam’s mother would be out of the White House, and his life would be more or less his own again. 

For Theo, that would never happen. 

Liam raised a glass of champagne to his lips, sighing heavily as he drank it down, trying to keep his eyes from lingering where Theo was dancing with a beautiful blonde. He was jealous. He knew that Theo wasn't with her, he knew that Theo wasn't going to be taking her home later, he didn't know if Theo even knew her last name, but he was jealous, and he carried that with him back to the hotel room. 

"You," Liam said, pushing Theo back on the bed, straddling him. "You are evil."

"Me?" Theo looked up at him, though he did nothing to fight as Liam removed Theo's tie, pushing the shirt from his body. 

"Yes." Liam grabbed Theo's wrists, pinning them down on the mattress as he stared into those infuriatingly beautiful grey eyes, and kissed him.

The kiss was aggressive, bruising, and when Liam pulled back, Theo looked up at him, bewildered. 

"Whatever it is I'm meant to have done," Theo said. "Tell me, so that I can do it again and again, if it gets you to kiss me like that."

"You danced with girls. You danced with people that aren't me," Liam said. He pulled Theo's wrists up, crossing them, binding them to the headboard, at long last, with Theo's own necktie. 

"You did, too," Theo pointed out. 

"Doesn't matter," Liam said, securing the knots, making sure that Theo wouldn't be getting out of them. 

"You're jealous."

"Maybe I am." Liam leaned down, kissing Theo's neck. 

"I don't mind you being jealous," Theo admitted, tugging at the tie to see if it would give. "Where did you learn to tie knots like this?"

"Let's just say I was motivated."

"How long have you been waiting to do this to me?" Theo teased. 

"Since that State Dinner, when you tried to avoid me, and I threatened to tie you to the chair in the Red Room."

"Ah." Theo nodded. "Yes. I remember that. Vividly."

"Do you want me to untie you?" Liam asked. 

"No." Theo shook his head. "Never. Tie me to the bed, to this bed, to _ your _ bed, to any bed. Refuse to let me leave." Theo looked up at him. "I'll obey."

"Oh Jesus Christ." Liam's heart was racing as he leaned down, kissing the other man deeply.

Liam hated how he could be undone by mere words - by  _ every _ word that came out of the other man's mouth. Theo could speak, and lay Liam completely bare with just a few sentences, and it wasn't fair. 

Liam kept his kiss searing and passionate, still every bit as aggressive as the first one that Theo had praised, and his hands scratched light marks down Theo's sides. The groan that Theo let out against Liam's mouth was more than worth it, more than worth all of the waiting that he had had to do. In this moment, every single second of patience was worth it, just to be torn to pieces by Theo's kiss, his words, his mere existence.

Liam kissed his way down Theo's torso, enjoying how the other man's chest heaved under his lips. He liked knowing that he was getting a reaction out of Theo. He  _ lived _ for it, and he was thrilled to be receiving one now. He was slow as he pulled the other man's pants off, pressing kisses to Theo's lips, to his thighs, knees, shins, everywhere. There was not one inch of Theo's skin that wasn't appealing to him, and when he finally took the prince into his mouth, he was more than ready. 

The string of curse words gasped out by the prince as Liam swirled his tongue around him should have been illegal.   
  
Liam recognized some of them - the ones in English, and a couple of the French, but there were also words in Italian, German, languages Liam wasn't even sure he could place, and it was driving him absolutely wild. Liam wanted to please Theo, and he had been practicing, doing everything that he could to make sure that this was good for the other man. Theo had years of experience on Liam, it seemed, when it came to men, but Liam was determined, and he had done his homework, at least as best he could. The absolutely filthy words leaving the other man's mouth told him that his extra work was paying off, and that only invigorated Liam. 

He liked being able to draw such foul language from a prince. Liam could feel the shudder that passed through Theo's entire body as he came, and as he reached up to untie the prince, the red marks on his wrists told Liam that Theo had been pulling at his restraints. 

"You good?" Liam asked, tossing the necktie away. 

"You have me completely unraveling," Theo said, grabbing Liam and pulling him in close. 

Liam didn't have to tell Theo that it was mutual, he just kissed him as though it were the only way to breathe, and let his actions do the talking. 

The gala and it's attendants were under a deep scrutiny, and Theo couldn't stay the night. It took everything that Liam had not to beg him to anyways. He knew that, a few rooms over, Corey and Mason were undoubtedly curled against each other, sleeping. Liam simultaneously understood, and didn't, why that couldn't be him and Theo as well. 

When Theo leaned in, fully dressed, and pressed a kiss to Liam's lips, punctuating it with the words "a la prochaine, mon trésor," Liam had to fight every instinct he had to not grab him and tie him back to the bed frame. Letting Theo walk away was getting harder and harder every time, but Liam knew that it was what had to be done. 

He didn't take a shower before he climbed back into bed. He didn't want to wash Theo off of him. He wanted to cling to that feeling, to the scent for a few more hours. Even though they couldn't sleep together, he could curl up in the hotel room bed, pull the pillow that Theo's head had rested on close to him, and breathe in the scent. He could lie back, and think about how right everything felt when he was with Theo.

Yes, he had been jealous tonight, but it hadn't been because Theo had been dancing with other women. It was because Theo could be open with them. He could have his arms around them, and no one cared. He was jealous that Mason and Corey could have that. He was jealous that, just because they were both men, and because of who they were in the world, they couldn't be here right now, in bed together, holding each other tight.

Unable to sleep, Liam reached for his phone. 

**_It's not the same without you._ **

It took almost an hour for the reply to come through, but the moment it did, Liam was grabbing for his phone to read it. 

**I can still feel your fingertips on my skin. I don't ever want to forget that feeling.**

**_I know myself so much better when I'm with you._ **

**I'm starting to think that I don't know who I am without you.**

Liam stared at the text for a full minute, and took a deep breath before getting out of bed. He pulled clothes on, and opened the door. 

"No." Boyd shook his head. He was posted outside of Liam's room, and the second he emerged, Boyd was alert.

"You don't even know what I want to do!" Liam was exasperated. 

"Yes I do, and it's a terrible idea." Boyd sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. 

"I...I can't help it," Liam said softly. "And he needs me. Come on, don't you have someone you would risk everything for? And wouldn't you rather that I risk everything  _ carefully _ with you there, instead of trying to sneak out?"

"You are taking years off of my life with this," Boyd said. 

"I'll make it up to you," Liam said quickly. "Please?  _ Please _ ."

"Are you really going to try and sneak out if I don't help you?" Boyd asked. 

"Yes." Liam nodded. Normally, he would never do something like this. Normally, he wouldn't put Boyd in this position, but Theo's last text was all that he could think about, and he had to get to him while they were still in the same city. While they were on the same _ continent _ .

"You owe me," Boyd said. 

"I know." Liam nodded. 

"Come on."

It took a little work on Boyd's part, but soon, Liam was standing outside of Theo's hotel room, knocking on the door. 

Theo opened it, looking rumpled, tired, and absolutely shocked to see Liam. 

"Liam?"

Liam pushed into the room, closing the door behind him, and pulled Theo into a deep kiss. 

"I won't let you lose yourself," he whispered. 

Theo pulled Liam over to the bed, and into his arms, and the two men fell asleep tangled together. 

After a couple of hours, Boyd knocked on the door, telling Liam that it was time to go, and Liam complied, leaving Theo with a kiss, and a promise not to let Theo go down that road. 

As he boarded the plane to head back to Washington, DC, just one look at Mason told him that something was wrong, but Liam was too tired to do anything about it. 

He curled up in his seat, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.

***

"Wait a second." Stiles narrowed his eyes, zeroing in on Liam at the office the next day. 

"Huh?" Liam asked, still tired from travel. 

"What is that?" 

"What is what?"

Stiles reached out, grabbing Liam's chin, and turning his neck. " _ That _ ." Stiles hissed. "Is that a  _ hickey _ ?"

"What? No!" Liam pulled back, tugging the collar of his shirt up as best he could. 

"Yes it is!" Stiles looked at him, his eyes wide. "I know it is! I'm not an idiot, Liam. I know what a hickey looks like! Someone went to town on your neck while you were in Berlin! Who was it?"

"God, no one," Liam said. 

"Is she on the list of girls we have NDAs for?" Stiles asked. "I swear to god, Liam...she'd better be."

"It's fine. If we needed an NDA, I would make sure that we got one."

"Liam, you have to be careful!" Stiles said. "The election may be a couple of years away still, but you have to be careful!"

"I am careful!" Liam insisted. Even saying that, though, he knew that it was tricky, that it was challenging. Yes, he and Theo were being as careful as they could, but the very crux of what they were doing was  _ far _ from careful. Even with every precaution they were taking, it was risky, and with the way that Liam had insisted on going to see Theo late the night before? He knew that he could have been more cautious. 

"Fine." Stiles nodded, looking at Liam. "But I swear to god, if you fuck up your mother's campaign because you can't keep your dick in your pants, I will staple it to your leg to make sure it stays, do you understand me?"

"Oh my god," Liam said. "That is way too vivid."

"Good," Stiles said. "I want you to know how serious I am about this."

"Trust me," he said. "I can tell. I'm not doing anything that is going to ruin this campaign."

Except that he sort of was. Sure, if they didn't get caught, it would be fine, and if they were careful, they wouldn't get caught, but at the same time, he knew that it was dangerous. He hated that he liked that about it.

Things only got worse when he got home to find Mason waiting for him in his bedroom. 

"Hi," Liam said. "I...did we have plans."

"No." Mason shook his head, getting up from where he was sitting on Liam's bed. "But we need to talk."

"Um...okay." Liam gulped. There was a tightness to his chest, and a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "What about?"

"I really feel like you have to know that," Mason said, looking up at his best friend. "You  _ have _ to know."

"Mason..." Liam gulped. 

"It's him, isn't it?" Mason asked. "Theo? He's why you've been all...off lately. I thought it was your dad for a long time, but it's not."

"Mason, I can explain."

"I mean, that's up to you, I guess," Mason said. "I just don't get why you wouldn't tell me. You're doing this big, dumb thing, and hiding it from everyone, including your best friend?"

"I know," Liam sighed. "I know, look, it's not...I wanted to tell you when I first started feeling this way, but I wanted to be sure first, that it wasn't just something I needed to get out of my system."

"And is it?" Mason asked. "Just something you need to get out of your system?"

Liam looked at him for a second, then silently shook his head. 

"So you're... _ involved _ with Prince Theodore?"

Liam nodded again. 

"Jesus Christ." Mason sighed. "I never did get a fully heterosexual read off of you, but a  _ prince _ ?"

"I didn't mean to," Liam insisted. "It came out of nowhere, I didn't know..."

"When did it start?" Mason asked. 

"New Year's," Liam admitted. 

"What? Are you fucking kidding me? It's been  _ months _ and you weren't sure if it was something you just had to get out of your system?" 

"It's not like we see each other all the time, but...I don't know. It's scary, Mason! If I admit to you that it's real, then I have to admit it to myself, and I don't know if I'm ready to do that yet."

"I think you just did," Mason said. "Whether you want to or not, I'm pretty sure you just decided that it is."

"Fuck." Liam sighed, shaking his head. He knew that Mason had a point here. He had known that this was real for awhile now, probably since it had started, but he had convinced himself otherwise because that made it easier. "I don't know what to do, Mason."

Liam flopped onto his bed, stomach down, and pulled a pillow over his head. He was exhausted, and stressed out, and he felt wracked with guilt for not having told Mason any of this. 

"Whoa, hey..." Mason moved to the bed, sitting down, putting his hand on Liam's back and rubbing it gently. "Liam, what's wrong?"

"I didn't mean for this to happen," Liam said, his words greatly muffled by the pillow. "I just...we were trying to be fake friends, and then somewhere things changed, I think when he literally put his body between mine and a bullet-"

"Wait, what?" Mason asked. 

"When we were in England, when we went to the theater and there was that false alarm, with the special effects going off and it sounded like guns?"

"Yeah..." Mason nodded. 

"Boyd threw us together in this small closet, and when I asked Theo to move so that, like, this broom handle would stop poking me in the back, instead of leaning to the back, he rolled to the front, and put himself between me and the door. Like he was literally half on top of me. There was no way anything was gonna hit me without going through him first."

"Wow." Mason gulped. "Intense."

"Yeah." Liam sighed. "We had drinks after that because, you know, it was _ stressful _ , and we just started talking, and I guess we never stopped, and now..."

"And now?"

Liam sighed, removing the pillow from his head. "And now...we talk, and sometimes we  _ don't  _ talk, and I'm not sure which one is better."

"I know that I don't have to tell you how big this is," Mason said. "You know that."

"I know," Liam confirmed. "But I can't just switch it off. He's not some one night stand, Mason. I have feelings for him. Real feelings."

"Is that a bad thing?" Mason asked.

"It's...a hard thing," Liam said. "Because I didn't think it would turn out like this. I thought I just wanted to like, make out with him a little and go to bed a time or two, which, I mean, technically, yeah, I guess that's sort of exactly what we've done, but in between when we can see each other, there's so  _ much _ ."

"You're falling in love," Mason said softly. 

"No, no." Liam shook his head. "No, that...definitely not."

"Yeah," Mason pushed. "You are, Liam."

"No, I can't be," he said. "Because that would be the worst possible thing I could do."

"We don't get to choose who we love, Liam," Mason said softly. "You can pretend that you're not heading down that road, but at the end of the day, all you'll be doing is lying to yourself."

"I hate it when you're right," Liam groaned, truly meaning those words. 

"I know." Mason nodded. "I'm sorry, buddy."

"We don't work out, you know," Liam said softly. 

"What do you mean?"

"No matter what happens. Theo and I, we don't work out. I've gone over it from every possible angle, and every possible scenario, and just...we're doomed. We always have been. I should never have gone down this road, but Scott-"

"Scott?" Mason asked. "McCall?"

"Yeah."

"You told  _ Scott  _ and not me?" Mason asked. 

"I didn't mean to! I just need advice, and he's bisexual, and you know, he's sort of mentored me a little in the past, so I went to him. I asked him about his life, and he told me about this relationship he was in, where it didn't work out, but they both got so much out of it anyways, that even though it was doomed from the start, he went there anyways." Liam sighed. "And it worked out."

"And do you think that's how it is for you and Theo?" Mason asked. 

"I honestly don't know." Liam sighed. "He's not the person that I thought he was, even when I first jumped into this, I thought he was someone else, someone less...impressive, magnetic. Someone..." Liam trailed off. 

"What?" 

Liam sighed. "Unflappable."

"Everyone's flappable," Mason said. 

"Yes, thank you, I know that now," Liam sniped. "Sorry, sorry, I just..."

"It's okay," Mason said. "This is a tricky situation."

"It's an  _ impossible _ situation," Liam countered. 

"So what are you going to do?" Mason asked. 

"Hold on to him until I can't anymore," Liam said softly. 

"And when that happens?" Mason asked. 

"I don't know," Liam admitted. 

"Whatever it is," Mason said. "I'll be there, okay? We'll figure it out."

"God." Liam smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "You really are an incredible friend."

"You have no idea," Mason said with a smile. "I'm still mad at you, by the way."

"That's fair." Liam nodded. 

"Doesn't make me any less here for you, though."

Liam sighed, pulling Mason down on the bed with him, hugging him tightly. He may not have had all the answers that he was looking for, but at least he had Mason by his side. 

At least he wasn't alone with this anymore.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theo and Liam reflect back on the historical men that came before them, and finally get to see each other at Liam's graduation luncheon. However, things don't go as planned, and a damper is put on their plans for a romantic rendezvous at the White House.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks once again to [Ell_002](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ell_002/pseuds/Ell_002) for the French translations, and I'm sorry that it's been so long since I updated! I was participating in a Thiam Pride event, so I was focusing on that! Thank you for your patience and continuing to read!
> 
> To see the lovely graphic made for this story by [Sefinh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sefinh/pseuds/Sefinh), go [Here!](https://purplehoodiesandleatherjackets.tumblr.com/post/621972231350894592/paper-moon-chapter-17-theoliam-teen-wolf)

"Wait, wait, Corey has known this  _ entire _ time?" Liam asked, shocked. He was pacing his bedroom, on the phone with Theo, feeling like he was going to pass out. 

Telling him that Mason knew? It mattered, because Mason wasn't staff. Mason didn't have a piece of paper insisting he would never out them, and he felt like Theo deserved to know. 

"Yes," Theo said. "Corey's known about me for a long time, and about us since, well, since before we really even  _ were  _ an us. I don't think he would ever have shut up about why I felt the need to drag him away from Mason on New Year's Eve if I hadn't told him the truth."

"Oh." Liam frowned. "That...makes a lot of sense, actually. You did sort of just...grab him and bolt."

"Precisely," Theo said. "I owed him an explanation, and as soon as we were on the plane together, I gave him one."

"Well, now I feel like a real dick for not telling Mason sooner," Liam said. 

"Sounds like you didn't tell him at all," Theo teased. "You just let him stew in the unknown until he figured out."

"You're not helping," Liam sighed. 

"Not trying to," he said with a smile. 

"Careful," Liam warned. "Or I will uninvite you from my Graduation Luncheon."

"Didn't you graduate in December? I remember being at your graduation party. Distinctly. I believe I got drunk, and kissed you."

"And then you ran like a coward."

"Will you never make anything easy for me?" Theo asked. 

"Nah." Liam grinned devilishly, even though Theo couldn't see him. "I like it when it's hard."

"You know that this can go both ways, right? You get a little saucy, and..." Theo trailed off. 

"And what?"

“Tu n'as pas idée de ce que je veux te faire, mon cher.”

"Oh my  _ god _ ," Liam gasped. "That is unfair."

"I told you. This goes both ways."

"What did that even mean?" Liam asked. 

"I don't know if I should tell you..." Theo teased. 

" _ Please _ ?" Liam begged. He rarely said 'please' with Theo, and he knew that it got the other man revved up every time. 

"Fine, but only since you asked so nicely." Theo's voice was low, husky as he translated his French. "You have no idea what I want to do to you, my dear."

"You have no idea what you  _ are _ doing to me," Liam argued. 

"Well, I think I have  _ some _ idea."

"And you think I'm the menace?" Liam groaned, throwing his body dramatically onto his bed. "The next time I see you, I swear to god, Theo."

"Yes?" Theo sounded amused, and even over the phone, Liam could picture the cocky smile on the other man's face. 

"I'm going to make you beg for mercy."

"Is that a promise?"

"You know it is."

"Well, then I suppose I will come to your little graduation luncheon."

"Thank you." Liam grinned. "It'll be at the White House after the graduation ceremony. I'll have Stiles send Derek the information."

"Wonderful," Theo said. "It has been far too long since I've seen you."

"I'll have Stiles arrange for you and your team to stay in the White House as a courtesy." Liam smirked. "That way, I'll have easy access to you."

"I will not be treated like some common whore!" Theo said. 

"Oh, trust me," Liam said. "There is  _ nothing _ common about you, babe."

Liam could practically hear Theo shudder from thousands of miles away at the use of the pet name. He knew what Theo liked. He knew what got him going, and sometimes, it was as easy as one single word. 

"I will not be your little strumpet, Liam."

"If I pretend like I know what that means, will you stop pretending like you don't want this as much as I do?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line, but Liam waited, lying on his bed, for Theo's response. 

"I think I can agree to those terms."

"You sure about that?" Liam teased. "Compromise has never been your strongest suit."

"Diplomacy has never been yours," Theo fired back. 

"I beg to differ."

"You'll be begging for something alright."

"You are absolutely filthy. God."

“You absolutely love it." 

Liam couldn't argue with that, so he shifted onto his back, once again staring up at the ceiling that, thanks to his near daily phone calls with Theo, he was getting very familiar with. 

"Have you ever heard of John Laurens?" Liam asked. 

"I can't say that the name rings a bell," Theo admitted. 

"Okay, okay, backtracking here," Liam said. "You've heard of Alexander Hamilton, right?"

"Of course I have," Theo said. "In fact, I believe some American tart forced me into a painting of him once, and proceeded to accost me."

"Uh huh," Liam laughed. "And if I remember correctly, it was the English _ strumpet  _ that accosted me, first."

"Hardly. I merely kissed you. You threw me up against a wall!"

"You were infuriating me."

"You're infuriating me now."

"So throw me up against a wall," Liam challenged. 

"Oh, believe me," Theo said. "I plan to."

"Okay, no, we're getting off track, and I don't want to verge into _ Imperial March _ territory when I'm trying to actually have a conversation with you."

"Alright, Alexander Hamilton. I'm paying attention."

"Yeah, John Laurens was his good friend, except..." Liam shrugged. "I don't know, they were probably more than friends? The way that Alexander Hamilton wrote about him, wrote _ to _ him, the way that he lost his goddamn mind when Laurens died...there are a lot of sources that point to, you know, a love affair. Something deep, something passionate that spanned oceans, and hardships."

"Are you comparing yourself to a Founding Father, Liam?"

"No, no, of course not," Liam said. "I'm way cooler than the Founding Fathers. I'm just saying. There's this famous guy that everyone knows about, largely thanks to Lin-Manuel Miranda, I guess, but still." Liam shifted onto his side. "There's this huge part of his life that no one talks about." Liam paused. "It just makes me wonder if I'm not the first person to sit in this White House and bury something like this."

"Edward II," Theo said softly. 

"Huh?"

"King Edward II," Theo said again. "It was said that his relationship with nobleman Piers Gaveston was sexual. Romantic, even. Intense and passionate to the point where Edward I banished Piers when Edward II was still a prince. When his father died, and Edward II ascended the throne, he brought Piers back from exile." Theo sighed. "He bestowed upon his likely lover land, and lavish gifts. When the nobles attempted to rise up and overthrow their king, it was Piers they went for. He was hunted down. Executed. All because he was beloved by the king."

"Okay...well I don't like _ that _ ," Liam said, wrinkling his nose. "That's horrible."

"It's not the happiest of stories, no."

"Okay, well what about James I and George Villiers?" Liam offered up. "The fencer that he plucked from relative obscurity and named Duke of Buckingham?"

"Excuse me?"

"And it is well known that the King of England fucks the Duke of Buckingham."

"Are you quoting de Viau to me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I feel like I'm more of the George Villiers type than Piers Gaveston," Liam said with a smile. "I mean, wasn't he said to be the most handsome man around? And he was an athlete!"

"I mean, yes, I suppose so, but how do you even know all of this?"

"I like history." Liam shrugged. 

"I'm impressed."

Liam couldn't help but puff with pride at Theo's words. Just as Liam didn't say 'please' very often, Theo didn't admit to being impressed by Liam too much. It felt good to get that kind of validation. 

"Impressed enough to make me Duke of Buckingham?" Liam teased. 

"Mmm," Theo laughed. "I think if I tried that, my grandmother might have you Gaveston'd."

"That's brutal."

"You brought it on yourself," Theo chided.

"Alright, alright," Liam laughed. "I guess I don't  _ have _ to be the Duke of Buckingham."

Theo returned Liam's laugh with one of his own, and the smile that it brought to Liam's face was embarrassing. The sheer joy that Liam got out of reducing Theo to genuine laughter was a rush unlike anything he had ever really known, and it appealed toa part of him that he had never known existed. 

He wanted to make Theo smile. He wanted to make the prince happy, he wanted to make him laugh every bit as much as he wanted to take him apart piece by piece with his hands, and his teeth, and his lips. 

"You would be a horrific Duke," Theo stated.

"I would be a marvelous Duke."

"Liam, tell me. What exactly is a Duke?"

"A common thing for Country music stars to name their German Shepherds?"

"...What?" Theo was bewildered. 

"Never mind." Liam laughed.

"Liam, have you got any idea what a Duke actually is?"

"A meaningless figurehead that just means he's rich and knows someone important enough to give him some land and a title that might have been snazzy once, but now, well...please refer to my previous statement about German Shepherds."

"I...what?" Theo said. "Half of that made no sense."

"Or are you just not intelligent enough to understand it?" Liam challenged. 

"I think it is possible that I am  _ too _ intelligent to understand your confused babbling."

"Ah, there's the pretentious Prince Theo we know and love!" Liam grinned. 

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Theo said. "But are you trying to bamboozle me so that I don't realize that you have no idea what a Duke is?"

"What? No. Absolutely not. I would never do such a thing!"

There was another pause on the line, and Liam internally celebrated victory. If Theo was quiet, that meant he didn't have a witty comeback. 

"Liam," Theo started. "Have I mentioned that I'm very fond of you?"

Okay. That was not something that Liam had been expecting.

"I. Um. What?" Liam asked stupidly. 

"I'm very fond of you, Liam," Theo repeated. 

This time, it was Liam who paused. 

"Theo," Liam said softly. "I miss you."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he wished that he could reach out and take them back. They talked about how they wanted to see each other again, about what they would do to each other when they did. They talked about how much easier it was when they were together, when they were face to face, but they didn't say things like this. They didn't talk about how much they liked each other. 

They didn't say that they missed each other. 

"Yes," Theo said slowly. "I miss you, too."

"Well, then it's a good thing that I'll see you in two weeks."

"What?"

"My graduation luncheon, dumbass."

"Ah, right, how could I forget? Being celebrated once isn't nearly enough for you."

"You  _ love _ celebrating me."

"Don't push it," Theo teased. "Or I'll hold back."

"Alright, okay, point taken." Liam laughed. "But two weeks. You. Me. Here. Together."

"Two weeks," Theo repeated. "I can't wait."

***

It was alarming to Liam just how slowly those two weeks crawled by. He wasn't in charge of planning his luncheon, that was all on the White House events staff, and he didn't even really have much say over the guest list. Of course, he had Mason on the list, and it was easy to get Theo on there. After all, there were pockets of the internet, and of course, the tabloids, that were obsessed with Theo and Liam's friendship. Mason had even pointed Liam in the direction of some particularly explicit "Thiam" fanfiction, that had left Liam's eyes burning for days. Even so, he had to twist a couple arms, okay, namely _ Stiles’ _ arm, to make sure that Corey and Hayden made it on to the guest list as well. 

"This is a professional luncheon to celebrate your accomplishments, and make your mother look good," Stiles had told him. "Not a blow out to have with your friends. You did that already. New Years? Remember?"

"Yes, but it will seem like a complete and total ploy if  _ none _ of my friends are there..."

Stiles narrowed his eyes at Liam before speaking again. "You sure you don't want to run for office some day?" he asked. 

"You know," Liam said with a grin. "I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"Don't get used to it," Stiles shot back. 

Still, even with all of the back and forth, and all of the planning, nothing was more agonizing than having to sit through the graduation ceremony. 

The University had asked him to make a speech, and he had politely accepted - after all, it would look terrible if he had refused. With the help of Mason, he crafted something inspiring, intelligent, and every bit an address that the First Son of the United States could be proud of, but as he sat through the countless names being called, he was antsy. As soon as this was over, as soon as he had posed for photos, and shaken a million hands, he would get to go back to the White House, and Theo would be there. 

Sure, there would be hours of luncheon, and toasts made in his honor (mostly by people who didn't actually know him), and he and Theo would be at different tables, forced to steal glances from across the White House lawn. At least then, he would have his eyes on the other man. And after that was all over, and the guests had gone home, Theo would be able to sneak from the opposite wing of the White House, and finally,  _ finally _ Liam would be able to get his hands on the prince again.

After what seemed like forever, the ceremony ended, the photos were taken, and Liam sat in the back of the motorcade car, trying his best not to impatiently tap his foot against the ground. He ditched the cap and gown the second he could, feeling as though he was still appealing in a pale green button down and khakis...but it was nothing compared to Theo. 

The prince was also dressed down, wearing a short sleeved pink button down and linen trousers - perfect for the first week of June in D.C., and Liam felt like he was going to pass out.

The only other time that he could remember seeing Theo in pink had been the photos he had stumbled across from the Maldives vacation, with Theo in the barely-there pink swim trunks. Initially, he had pulled the images forth as a joke, but in light of recent events, he had found himself revisiting them for more personal reasons. 

The pink button down wasn't anywhere near as scandalous or skin baring, but there was something about the softness of it, and the way that it brought out the true kaleidoscopic nature of Theo's eyes that made it very, very difficult for Liam to keep his cool. 

"Congratulations, Liam," Theo said, reaching out to shake the other man's hand. "Very well done, doing what was expected of you."

Liam was well aware of the cameras around, and the flashes going off as he did his best to try and keep his ears and neck from turning red, just with the touch of the other man's hand. 

"So good to see you, too,  _ your highness _ ," Liam retorted. There was no malice in his tone, however. There hadn't been for almost a year now, and it was strange to think that so much time had passed since they had been in a similar situation, roles reversed. 

All of this had begun, at least for Liam, 12 months ago, and if you had told him then how the next year would unfold, he would have laughed in your face. 

Now, he was looking right at Theo, and he certainly wasn't laughing.

They weren't able to talk as the luncheon got going - not more than their quick greeting, and a photo op set up by Stiles to help ensure that their good relations continued. 

"It's great press," Stiles said as he ushered them together for their picture. "You and Theo together? The world is eating it up. Never, in my entire life, have I ever been so glad that you fucked something up so royally. Literally royally, ha." Stiles paused to laugh at his own joke. "But seriously. If you hadn't basically assaulted Theo at his own party, we never would have gotten the boost that all this Prince and First Son bromance has brokered."

_ Bromance _ . Liam thought to himself.  _ If only he knew _ .

Instead of saying anything, however, he merely shrugged it off, and threw his arm around Theo as though they were old friends - _ just  _ friends - and smiled for the camera. 

The photo was over all too soon, and Liam was being approached by person after person. He took more pictures, accepted congratulations, and did his level best not to think about how epic Theo's ass looked in linen pants. It was WASPy as hell, and not at all something that Liam had ever thought he would be into, but apparently, that was what Theo was good for. Making Liam realize that he was into things he had never considered before, like linen pants. 

And princes. 

If Liam thought that the graduation ceremony was torture, it was nothing compared to the luncheon itself. Never in his life had Liam been so enraged by people celebrating him. Every time he thought they were done, that it would be winding down, someone else grabbed the microphone to make a toast to him. He watched as Theo clapped politely after each speaker, and he couldn't help but wonder if, beneath the cool exterior that Theo was flawlessly putting on, he was boiling over inside as well. 

Every inch of Liam wanted Theo. He wanted to grab him by the collar of that infuriating pink shirt and drag him back to the East Bedrooms. He wanted to rip the buttons right off of it as he backed the prince against his bedroom wall. He wanted Theo's hands, so poised and respectful in their applause, all over him, caution thrown to the wind.

He was so focused on trying not to blow a gasket that, at first, he didn't notice the shift in tone. Phones began chiming, and before he knew it, everyone was checking their devices. Whispers began circulating, and Liam couldn't take it. He reached into his pocket for his own phone. 

There were two alerts on his lock screen. The first, a headline from  _ Politico _ . 

**GERARD ARGENT OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCES HIS CANDIDACY FOR PRESIDENT**

The second was a text message from a number saved as:  _ Biological Sperm Donor _ . 

With shaking hands, Liam opened up the message.

_ Congratulations again, Liam. I don't want your judgements on my sobriety, so don't bother reaching out to me if that's all it is going to be, but I wanted to let you know that, nevertheless, at least some small part of me is proud to call you my son. _

Never, in his 21 years of life, had Liam ever wanted to smash his phone more.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam turns to Theo to help calm the storm of a day that he's having, and the two young men find themselves growing closer than ever before. As the world around them intensifies, so does their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your patience with updates - I'm having a bit of a tricky time right now. And as always, thank you very much to [Ell_002](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ell_002/pseuds/Ell_002) for the French translations!

After the news about Argent went live, no one really felt much in the mood to party. All of the Dunbar Administration staffers were running around trying to pull together a statement, and the luncheon sort of just fell apart. Maybe at a different time, or in an alternate universe, Liam would have been upset by that, but instead he was glad that he could steal away to his room, largely unnoticed in the hubbub. 

He wasn't thinking about Theo, and his pink shirt and his linen pants anymore. He was thinking about the weight of everything that had just happened. Yes, he had known that Argent was going to run against his mother, and that it would probably get ugly, but to have that confirmed in the very same moment he heard from his father again was...challenging. 

He read the message over and over again, cringing at how passive aggressive it was. It felt condescending to him, and sure, he couldn't guarantee that that had been the intention, but he had no positive reason to believe otherwise. As messages flooded in about Gerard, pushing the text from his father further down his inbox, Liam felt rage rising in him. He threw his phone, hitting the wall right next to his bedroom door just as the door opened. 

"My god," Theo said.

"Shit." Liam gulped. "I didn't...that almost hit you!"

"I should have knocked." Theo closed the door behind him and reached down, picking up the phone. "You’ve cracked the screen."

"I don't care," Liam said. 

"Gerard Argent?" Theo asked. 

"My father."

"Oh." Theo set the phone down on Liam's desk. 

"Yeah."

"Would you like to talk about it?" Theo asked. 

"No." Liam shook his head, and stood, walking over to Theo. He backed him against the wall, and leaned in, kissing him deeply. His eyes closed instantly, and he let himself be completely drawn in by Theo's presence. 

Theo, in turn, put his arms around Liam and drew him in closer, determined to help Liam forget about everything, even if only for a little while. 

"What do you need?" Theo asked as they broke apart from the kiss. He reached up, carding his fingers through Liam's hair as he looked at him. 

Liam looked into Theo's eyes, studying them. The way that Theo was looking at Liam caused Liam's breath to hitch in his chest, and for a moment, he couldn't form words. Theo was so beautiful, and in this moment, he was displaying nothing but care for Liam. 

"You," Liam breathed finally. "All of you. In every possible way."

"Are you sure, Liam?"

"I know what I want," Liam said. "I want you, Theo."

He leaned in, capturing Theo's lips again, drawing the other man in as best he could. With this kiss, he was trying to prove that what he was saying was true, that he wanted Theo. Yes, he was having a bad moment, but all that he could think about was how good it felt to be here, with the man he cared for. He didn't want to ruin that. They had such precious little time together, and he wanted to make every second of it count. 

When he pulled back from Theo, Liam's chest was heaving, and his eyes were cast downwards, focusing on Theo's lips. He leaned in, pressing his own lips to Theo's jaw just shy of where it met his ear.    
  
"I'm ready," Liam whispered. "I'm ready, and if you're comfortable, if you're ready too, I want you."

"I think I've been ready since the day we met," Theo admitted. "And if you need to stop at any time-"

"I know." Liam nodded. "But I won't."

"But if you do."

"Theo," Liam looked into Theo's eyes. "Please.  _ Please _ ."

Those words sunk into Theo, rendering the prince speechless. He nodded, taking Liam's hand and moving away from the wall. It was silent in the room as Theo led Liam to the bed. 

Liam lay back on the mattress, looking up at the prince as Theo climbed on top of him.

"This is where I lie," Liam said. "When we're on the phone? I lie down right here and look up at the ceiling just like this." He paused. "Well, almost like this. The view is much better tonight."

"Oh Liam..." Theo said softly, his tone verging on sad. He reached down, placing a hand on Liam's cheek as he gazed down at the other man. 

There was something in Liam's eyes. A hurt, a desperation, and Theo found himself lost in it. 

"Babe," Liam said, his voice barely above a whisper as he looked up at Theo. 

Theo didn't need to hear more. The tone of Liam's voice, the expression on his face, it all spoke volumes. He leaned down, kissing Liam long and deep. The kiss was slow, and passionate. Electric. Liam could feel it all the way to the tips of his toes, and he put his arms around Theo, fingertips digging into Theo's back, pressing into the fabric of his pink shirt. 

As they kissed, Theo's hands reached up, slowly, gently undoing each button on Liam's shirt, pushing it off his shoulders. Liam leaned up just enough for Theo to be able to remove the garment from him, and in turn, he reached out for Theo's. 

Gone was the desire to rip the thing off of him, and just as Theo had been gentle, Liam carefully pushed each button through the hole, his breath ragged as he tossed the shirt to the floor, leaving Theo topless, hovering over him. 

Theo sat there, his knees bracketing Liam's body as he looked down at the First Son. Liam reached up, trailing the pads of his fingers down Theo's perfectly sculpted torso. Without breaking eye contact, Liam's hands fell to Theo's hips. He ran his palms over them before going to the tan belt that was keeping up Theo's pants. He reached for the buckle, and slowly, but deliberately, undid it, removing it from the belt loops with one quick tug. 

With the belt removed, Liam's hands went up Theo's back, and when they reached his shoulders, he pulled the prince down into another kiss, just as intentional as the last. He held Theo in place, conveying how much this meant to him wordlessly, using only his lips, his tongue. Theo's hands took their turn, venturing down to Liam's hips, removing his belt before pushing the waistband of his slacks down. Theo shifted, and Liam kicked his own pants off. 

He released Theo from the kiss, reaching out and helping Theo out of his own trousers. Once both men were relegated to their underwear, Liam flipped them so that he was straddling Theo, his heart racing as he stared down at him. 

Liam placed his palms on Theo's chest, resting them there, fingers digging into the skin just slightly. 

"J'ai envie de toi, mais prends ton temps, mon trésor," Theo whispered. 

"And in English?" Liam breathed. 

"I want you, but take your time, my treasure." Theo propped himself up on his elbows, his grey eyes locked with Liam's blue ones. "We have all night."

As his breath hitched, Liam leaned down, once again claiming Theo's lips. He ran his hands over the other man's body, wanting to explore every inch of it. He freed Theo from his boxer briefs, pausing only shortly to remove his own underwear before diving back into the kissing. 

They had been like this before, in bed together, naked bodies intertwined, but this was different. 

Liam stood on a precipice, ready to take the next step. He had had sex before, but nothing like this. He couldn't put his finger on exactly what was different, save for the obvious, but the way that Theo was kissing him, the way that Theo's sure hands moved across Liam's smooth skin told him that something was  _ not _ the same as his previous encounters.

After what felt like hours of kissing and touching, slow explorations of each other's bodies, and feelings verbally unspoken, but physically communicated, Liam rolled off of Theo. Wordlessly, he disappeared into his bathroom, returning moments later with a condom and a small bottle of lube. 

"And you're sure?" Theo asked, sitting up on the bed, watching as Liam returned to him. "That you want this?"

"Yes." Liam nodded, lying on his side, and drawing Theo back down next to him so that they were face to face. "Take me away, Theo," he breathed. "Take me to a place where it's just us. No you, with your walls, and your millions, of obligations, and the crown. No me with my confusion, and elections, and distractions. Just us. Theo and Liam."

"Us I can do." Theo hooked a leg over Liam's body, the heel of his foot trailing down the back of Liam's thigh, catching at his knee and guiding the other man so that their bodies were, once again, intertwined, one virtually indistinguishable from the other. 

Carefully, Theo moved them, easing Liam onto his back, moving into position above him. He guided Liam's legs up until they rested on Theo's shoulders. 

"You are so beautiful, Liam." Theo's words were soft and low as he took in how Liam looked, brown hair splayed across the white pillow case, blue eyes looking up at him, full of anticipation and desire.

Liam wasn't going in blind. He had known for awhile now that he wanted to sleep with Theo, fully, totally, the way that they were about to. He had done research, sought out the information necessary to make sure that he was as informed as possible. Even with all of that, however, nothing could have prepared him for the way that Theo looked right now, tenderly moving Liam into position, treating his body with a delicate care that he never had before. 

The brunette was mesmerized as Theo reached for the lubricant, coating his fingers with it. When he was finished, he set the bottle on the nightstand and leaned down, pressing his lips to Liam's as he worked to prepare him, to stretch him out. 

Liam groaned into Theo's mouth as the foreign sensation washed over him, and he felt Theo hesitate, then pause. Liam reached up, putting his hand on the back of Theo's neck, holding him in the kiss, silently encouraging him to keep going. There was no part of Liam that wanted to stop. This was new, it was exciting, and maybe a little terrifying, but the benefits outweighed everything else, and as Theo removed his fingers from Liam, the First Son could only watch his lover, focusing on his own breathing to try and keep the frenzy of emotions building up inside of him calm. There were no words to describe the effortless, almost elegant way Theo opened the condom wrapper, slipping it over his length. Liam waited patiently, propped up on his elbows, watching Theo's every move as the prince, the fucking  _ Prince  _ of England, applied lubricant to himself. Theo's fingers were nimble as he screwed the cap back on the bottle and, once again, set it aside. 

His focus switched to Liam, and he reached down, brushing some stray wisps of hair from Liam's eyes. 

"If anything doesn't feel right," Theo said softly. "Even for a moment-"

"I know," Liam breathed. He gulped, gaze locked on Theo's. "I trust you."

Theo just nodded, and leaned back down. He placed a hand on the mattress at Liam's side to support himself, and used the other to guide himself into Liam. 

The gasp that Liam released as Theo entered him should have been illegal, and as Theo's mouth moved to catch it, his lips pressed against Liam's, everything felt  _ right _ .

It was shocking, and not without it's pain, but the pleasure overwhelmed everything. Theo was slow, careful with Liam, not at all the reckless aggressor that he sometimes was when they were alone together. 

If Liam let himself think about it, he might know what this felt like. If he let himself think about it, he might realize that this didn't feel different from every other time he had been with someone solely because Theo was a man. If he truly let himself stop, and take in this moment, and process what was happening, he might have realized  _ why  _ it felt different, but he didn't let himself go there. 

He didn't let himself think about anything except for the way that Theo's lips felt on his, the way that Theo's hands felt on his body, the way that Theo felt inside of him. He let himself get lost entirely in the other man, allowing the prince to wash away every fear, confusion, and anxiety that had been tearing Liam apart earlier. Instead, he allowed  _ Theo _ to tear him apart, and put him back together piece by piece with actions so intensely satisfying that Liam couldn't quite understand why they had never done this before. 

Once they finished, Liam lay there, boneless, breathless, and blissed out, unable to do anything but watch as Theo cleaned up. He tied off the condom and tossed it into Liam's wastebasket as though that were a perfectly normal thing to do; as though they hadn't just done something that had changed Liam forever. 

"Are you alright, mon trésor?" Theo asked. He returned to the bed and lay on his back, pulling Liam close to him. 

Liam rested his head against Theo's chest and nodded, allowing the prince to feel the action. 

"You're quiet," Theo remarked. "You're never quite."

Liam shifted slightly, pressing a kiss to Theo's sweaty chest. 

"I'm processing," Liam explained softly. "But I promise you, babe, I am alright. I am very, very much alright."

Theo reached up, fingers playing with Liam's hair as they lay there in a comfortable silence. Both men were content to merely to bask in the uninhibited presence of the other, to listen to the other man's even breathing as they occupied the same space. 

There were words on the tip of Liam's tongue, words that he couldn't quite get out. Instead, he leaned in, reaching out with one hand to guide Theo's head closer to his so that he could kiss him. 

Liam let his eyes slowly close as Theo returned his kiss, the strong, muscled arm around him tightening, pulling him in closer. Liam wanted to disappear completely into Theo, and in that moment, he felt his body doing the best that it could to accomplish exactly that. 

They stayed like that, joined at the every possible point, until close to midnight, when finally, Liam pulled back from Theo. 

"Liam?" Theo asked, surprised to feel Liam draw away from him. 

"I'm hungry," Liam admitted. 

The last time that either of them had eaten had been at the luncheon, which was hours and hours behind them now, and while a part of him could subsist solely on Theo, there was also a very real part of him that needed something to eat on top of that.

"I suppose I could eat."

"Okay." Liam smiled, sliding out of bed. He pulled on a pair of plaid sleep pants and a very apropos equal rights t-shirt. "I'll be back in a few minutes, alright?" He leaned over the bed to press a kiss to Theo's lips before sliding his feet into his slippers and disappearing from the room. 

When Liam returned, a pint of ice cream and two spoons in one hand, and a plate of cheese, fruit, and crackers in the other, Theo was sitting in his bed, propped up on pillows. The prince was no longer naked, but had donned a pair of Liam's boxer shorts, and an old Beacon Hills Lacrosse hoodie, worn practically to the point of being threadbare. 

"I hope you don't mind," Theo said. 

"How dare you," Liam replied, a smile on his face as he walked over to the bed. He set the snacks down and abandoned his slippers, crawling back over to Theo to kiss him. "How  _ very _ dare you look better in my clothes than I do?"

"Well aren't you being kind tonight," Theo said. 

"It's the oxytocin," Liam responded. "Don't get used to it."

"Noted." 

Liam reached for the ice cream, and pulled the top off, tossing it aside. He handed one spoon to Theo, keeping the other for himself.

"Right out of the pint?" Theo asked. 

"I know." Liam grinned, sliding closer to Theo. "I'm an animal."

Theo put his arm around Liam, and Liam rested his head on Theo's shoulder. 

Theo waited until they had each had a few bites before he spoke. 

"I'm very happy right now, Liam," he admitted. 

"Yeah?" Liam looked over at him. "Me too." He leaned forwards, licking a smear of the chocolate ice cream from the corner of Theo's mouth. "If you hadn't been here tonight..."

"But I was," Theo said firmly, using the arm that he already had around Liam's shoulder to squeeze the other man gently. "So don't go down that road."

Instead of responding, Liam dug his own spoon back into the container. He raised the spoon to his lips, slowly, deliberately licking it clean before speaking again.

"When I'm with you," he began. "It feels like I'm in the eye of a hurricane. It feels like there is a perfect storm going on all around me, but when I'm with you, I don't know." He paused. "It's a perfect calm."

"Today was quite the storm for you, wasn't it." 

It wasn't a question, Theo's tone conveyed that, but nonetheless, Liam nodded. He put the pint of ice cream, all but empty, to the side as he turned to Theo. 

"I was drowning," he admitted. "I was  _ so _ angry, and just as it was all coming to a head, there you were. It was like you  _ knew _ ." 

"I knew the moment you stepped away from the luncheon that something was wrong, Liam." Theo reached out, taking Liam's hand, lacing their fingers together. Liam's palm was cold from holding the ice cream, but Theo didn't care. His own fingers gently stroked between Liam's knuckles as he pressed a kiss to the side of his head. Liam snuggled into Theo more, the arm around him tightening to welcome him. 

"I don't understand how he does it," Liam admitted. "I haven't seen the man in close to 15 years, haven't talked to him, and yet he can make me feel so _ inadequate _ with one fucking text message."

"What did he say?" Theo asked. "I mean, if you're comfortable..."

Liam used his free hand, the one not laced with Theo's, to reach for his phone. He pulled open the conversation and let Theo read the message from his father. 

Theo was silent for a minute, taking in the words, processing them. 

"Every single part of him should be proud of you, Liam. There is so much that you have overcome. So much that you have accomplished. That man? He doesn't know you at all. If he did, he would know how much you have to offer the world." He paused. "I often find that it is people who are, themselves, inadequate that try their level best to make others feel that way."

"You're doing it again," Liam said with a groan, tilting his head back and gazing up at Theo. 

"Doing what?"

"Saying the  _ exact _ right thing."

"It's the truth," Theo said softly. "It's how I feel."

"I know." Liam nodded. "That's a part of why it's so perfect." He tilted his chin up, and Theo took the hint, leaning down to press a gentle, chaste kiss to Liam's lips. 

"The ice cream's going to melt," Theo pointed out. 

"Let it," Liam said softly. "There's hardly any left, anyways."

"You absolute rebel." Theo leaned in, kissing Liam again, pulling him down from their sitting position to one lying down. 

They kissed, each lying on their sides, for a few moments before they pulled away, opting instead, to look into each other's eyes. 

"I don't want to be alone tonight," Liam admitted. 

"I'm not going anywhere, love." Theo reached out, caressing Liam's cheek with the pad of his thumb. 

"I'm exhausted," Liam admitted. And he was. He was spent in every possible way - physically, emotionally, mentally, and as much as he wanted to stay up all night with Theo, and really drink in this time together, he didn't think that he could. 

"Come here." Theo moved in close, snuggling against Liam as he reached over, turning off the lamp on the bedside table. "Go to sleep, Liam. I'm here."

"Thank you." Liam yawned, and, nuzzling his face into Theo's neck, fell asleep in the other man's arms. 


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a heated encounter in the bathroom at a football stadium, Liam gets some bad news. As he feels his world crash down around him, he wonders whether or not he can turn to Theo.

"I don't think your sister likes me." Liam leaned over to Theo, whispering in his ear. 

They were seated in the royal box at a football match, and Liam's mind could not be further from the game.

Tara was there with her fianc é , and she had barely said two words to Liam the entire time. In fact, he was pretty sure that he had caught her glaring daggers at him, and he wasn't sure how he felt about that. Did she know? Did she suspect? 

"Yeah, she's not your biggest fan," Theo admitted. "She thinks that, while it was all well and good when our friendship was for show, that there are more...appropriate people I could be choosing to actually surround myself with."

"Appropriate?" Liam frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"More...poised, more regal. More English, less American," Theo explained. "I also believe she's made a few digs about your shaggy hair."

"My hair is  _ hardly _ shaggy!" Liam said. He cut it frequently, and yeah, since getting together with Theo, he had kept it a little longer than he had before, but it wasn't _ that _ big of a difference. He just liked having something there for Theo to grab onto when they were in bed together. 

"Don't worry about your hair, Liam. I didn't expect one person's negative opinion of you to matter!"

"Oh my god, so your sister really does hate me!" Liam groaned. 

"Don't worry about her, watch the football match, Liam."

"Soccer."

"You're in England," Theo hissed. "Behave yourself."

"Behave myself?" Liam scoffed. "Have you  _ met _ me?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Theo was doing his best to keep his jaw set, his eyes focused on the game. The world was watching them, to some degree - at least England was, and Liam was making things very, very difficult for him. 

"I have to go to the bathroom," Liam said. 

"Then go."

"I will." Liam grinned, lowering his voice. "You're looking like you might have to go, too."

"What? No. I'm fine." Theo shook his head. 

" _ Theo _ ."

" _ Oh _ ." Theo gulped. "Quite right. Yes. I think in a few minutes I may have to go myself."

"That's the spirit." Liam got up, and headed to the bathroom. 

The place was private, walled off, and he was pleased to notice that, while the door locked, the room also had several stalls. They wouldn't have forever in here together, but they'd have a moment, and he would take what he could get. 

Liam knew that he wouldn't be able to see Theo that night. He was only in England because Jenna had a meeting with the Queen and some other foreign dignitaries, and Liam had tagged along to catch the football match. From here, he and his mother would be flying straight to France to meet with Macron, leaving Theo behind in England. 

Liam would be damned if he was going to come all this way  _ not _ to kiss the other man. 

Mason was...somewhere. He and Corey were attending the same match, but Corey's box seats were elsewhere in the stadium, and there was no doubt in Liam's mind that they weren't focused on the game any more than Liam was. 

The First Son was pulled from such thoughts by the bathroom door opening, and Theo walked in. The prince flicked the lock behind him, and moved towards Liam. 

The Manchester United jersey that Theo had on gave off jock vibes that, even polo-playing Prince Theo had never managed to really pull off before, and Liam hated how much he liked that. 

"C'mere," Liam said, grabbing a fistful of the jersey and pulling him in close. 

"We only have minutes," Theo reminded him. 

"Then stop wasting them." 

Liam pulled Theo against him, kissing him like it was going out of style. They hadn't seen each other since Liam's graduation party in early June, when they had had full on sex for the first time, and it was now pushing mid July. It had been far too long, and Liam was losing his mind. 

Sure, they talked almost every day - if not on the phone, there were emails, text messages, but nothing could ever compare to the way it felt when they were in the same room.

Liam's hands reached under Theo's shirt, palms running over his warm skin, feeling at the muscles underneath it. He knew what it looked like. He had practically memorized Theo's body by this point, and even with his eyes closed, he could picture vividly every inch of what he was feeling. 

They staggered backwards together, Liam pressing Theo against the wall as he moved one hand from his shirt, bringing it to Theo's chin. He pushed it, forcing Theo's head to the side as Liam grinned, leaning down and kissing Theo's neck. He was careful not to bite or to suck, just to kiss Theo's throat, but the absolutely unholy noises that escaped the prince's mouth made holding back difficult. 

As Liam moved his lips back to Theo's, he slid his hand down just slightly from Theo's chin to his throat. He put his fingers around it and applied just a faint amount of pressure. Theo gasped into Liam's mouth, arching his back as his body bucked into Liam's. 

"You like that?" Liam breathed into Theo's ear. 

" _ Yes _ ," Theo groaned. "You have to stop that. You have to stop that right now, because we are in a public place, and you cannot do this to me."

"I can do anything I want to you," Liam hissed, biting Theo's lip. 

But Theo was right. This wasn't the place, this wasn't the time, and he could feel himself getting riled up. They were fast approaching the point of no return, and this wasn't a safe place to hit that note. Liam wanted Theo so desperately, but the prince was right. They had to stop. 

"Fuck.  _ Liam _ ." 

Liam could see Theo's entire body shudder as they separated, and internally, Liam cursed every barrier between them. He wanted Theo up against the wall. He wanted one hand around Theo's throat, the other fumbling with his belt, and some half-crazed part of him didn't understand why he couldn't have it. 

"I can't exist in a world where you behave like this," Theo said, smoothing down his clothes, his hair, as he looked at Liam doing the same.

"What can I say?" Liam shrugged. "You bring something out in me that I didn't know existed."

"Sometimes, I wish that you could leave it behind when we're in public, because you are  _ ruining _ me, Liam. I love it, but we just can't do it here."

"I know." Liam nodded. "I just...I didn't mean to. I was just kissing you, and then all of a sudden-"

"You were choking me."

"Not choking, just a little...squeeze."

"I loved it." Theo sighed. "So put that in your back pocket, save it for another day, and let's get back out there and show the world what good _ friends _ we are, before your hands around my neck ruin both our lives."

"Yup." Liam nodded, going over to the sink and splashing some cold water on his face. "Got it."

He exited the bathroom first, going back to the box, only to be met with another glare from Tara. A part of him wondered if she knew. He knew that Theo hadn't told her, they had talked about as much, but she was his sister. There was a pretty good chance that, regardless of whether or not they had spoken about it directly, she was aware of Theo's proclivities. If she was aware of that, she might suspect what was going on between him and Liam. Would she rat them out if she did know? He wasn’t sure. He didn't know her at all, but from everything Theo had said, this getting out? It would be bad for the monarchy as a whole, and that included Princess Tara. Liam turned his gaze to the match, focusing every molecule of himself on not looking at Theo as he returned from the toilets. 

He felt like he was suffocating, being so close to Theo and unable to touch him, but there wasn't a damn thing they could do. 

The match ended, and Theo and Liam said goodbye with a handshake. A fucking _ handshake _ . There were cameras around, so they smiled, and parted ways. Liam practically had to drag Mason away from Corey and into the waiting car. 

It was difficult for both Americans to buckle up their seat belts and be driven towards the air strip, and away from the men that they cared about, but they had no choice. 

Liam was on his phone, trying to distract himself with political articles and whatnot, when he saw something that he had never, ever expected. 

**INDEPENDENT CONGRESSMAN SCOTT MCCALL SPOTTED GETTING CLOSE WITH SENATOR ARGENT'S GRANDDAUGHTER**

Liam felt a tightness in his throat as he opened up the article. There were pictures of Scott McCall in the booth of a restaurant or bar, his arm around a gorgeous brunette that Liam recognized as Gerard Argent's granddaughter, and political staffer, Allison. Scott looked happy in the pictures, as did Allison. They were cuddled up against each other, whispering in each other's ears in the photos, and Liam couldn't stand it. 

Sure, it would be one thing if she was just Gerard's granddaughter. That wouldn't mean that she was Team Argent for this, but she  _ worked  _ for him. She was smart, she was high up in Argent’s staff, and Scott canoodling with her? That was betrayal. 

It had to be. 

"Have you seen this?!" Liam asked, practically thrusting his phone at Stiles. 

"Uh..." Stiles looked at the article gulping. "Yeah."

"What is it?" Liam asked. "What are you not telling me?"

"Um." Stiles took a deep breath. "While you were at the match, some speculation surfaced that an independent West Coast Congressman was going to be joining Argent's campaign."

" _ What _ ?" Liam looked shocked. 

"It's unconfirmed," Stiles said quickly. "And even if it is happening, that doesn't mean that it's going to be McCall, but..."

"But it doesn't look good!" Liam said, clearly distressed. 

"No." Stiles shook his head. "It doesn't look good."

"Fuck." Liam switched off his phone, throwing it down as he curled up in his seat. He was sexually frustrated from his encounter with Theo in the bathroom, and now this?

How was he supposed to survive this?

By the time they reached their hotel in France, Liam was practically beside himself. More articles had sprung forth, speculating that, after Scott had been seen with Allison, he was the Congressman set to join Argent's campaign. 

Liam waited until he was safely tucked away in his hotel room, where he could be angry, before he texted Scott. 

**_Tell me this isn't true, Scott. Tell me it's not you._ **

He stared at his phone for almost an hour straight before the reply came through. 

**I can't. I don't expect you to understand.**

With a loud scream, Liam threw his phone at the wall, watching as some piece of it broke off. He knew that his mother would chastise him - after all, he had gotten the screen replaced the day after his graduation luncheon, the last time he had thrown it. He didn't go to pick it up, he wasn't sure if it would work anymore. 

Still, there was a knock on the door. 

"Liam," Boyd and Erica stood there. "Are you-"

"No." Liam shook his head. "I am not alright."

"Okay." Boyd reached out, putting his hand on Liam's shoulder. "Come on. We'll go down to the hotel bar. Have a drink."

"I..."

"It's a small hotel. It's just us, and a few of the other dignitaries and their families. The whole staff has signed ironclad NDAs."

"Okay." Liam nodded. He took a deep breath, and followed Boyd and Erica to the bar. It was practically empty, save for the bartender, and one couple having a drink in the corner, though they left shortly after Liam arrived, possibly intimidated by stares from Boyd and Erica. Liam went to the bar itself, sitting down, and Boyd and Erica chose a table away from him, but within eyesight so that they could keep an eye on him. Liam ordered a mid-shelf whiskey, and was about to take a sip when he felt a hand on his shoulder. 

He looked up, and somehow, inexplicably, there was Theo. 

"What...what are you doing here?" He asked, his heart racing in his chest. 

"I saw all of the news about Scott McCall. I know you two are close, I...I tried calling..."

"Oh." Liam gulped. He had sent Theo's calls to voicemail, as he hadn't been in the mood to pretend to be alright.

He realized now, as Theo looked down at him, that he had never had to pretend that he was alright. Not with Theo. He wasn't sure why this had felt different. 

"I'm sorry," Liam said. 

"Don't be." Theo sat down, gesturing to the bar tender for the same drink as Liam. 

"You...flew to France for me?"

"No." He shook his head. "I flew to France because I have a last minute meeting with a youth charity tomorrow afternoon."

"But..." Liam bit his lip, keeping his voice low. 

"Yes." Theo nodded. "I flew to France for you."

Liam noticed Derek had joined Boyd and Erica at their table, along with one of Theo's PPOs, and he felt a sense of relief wash over him that at least there was someone here who cared about him. Someone who was going to ease his mind through all of this.

They had their drinks, talking about the charity that Theo was working with, and then Liam stood up, heading back up to his hotel room with Boyd and Erica in tow, while Theo left out the front, assuring Liam that he would come in the back, and be at his room soon. 

As Liam waited on his bed for Theo to show up, he couldn't help but think about how glad he was that Theo was there, and how grateful he was to the members of his team for making this possible. 

He couldn't help but remember the last time they had been in France, curled up in bed together, Theo reading _ Le Monde _ to him, and it was...a lot. They had come so far since then, but at the same time, at the crux of who they were, nothing had changed. They still had to sneak around. They still couldn't go from the bar to the room in the same elevator. 

It took awhile for Theo to make it to the room, but the second the door closed behind him, Liam flung himself into Theo's arms. 

"I can't believe you're here," Liam said softly, burying his face in Theo's neck. 

"You needed me." Theo gripped Liam tight. "I could tell."

As Liam led Theo over to the bed, he felt a little bit guilty for telling Mason that he wanted to be left alone, and then allowing himself to fall into Theo's arms so completely, but he couldn't help it. What he got from Mason and what he got from Theo? They were two completely different things. 

"I trusted him," Liam said, a lump rising in his throat as he curled into Theo's arms. "I trusted the mother fucker, and I...I get it. He likes Allison. He probably thinks that he can push Argent's campaign to the left by joining, but that means...that means he thinks we're going to lose, Theo."

"You don't know that," Theo whispered. 

"It's the only thing that makes sense. I...there's so much that I don't understand." 

"It's alright," Theo said softly, carding his fingers through Liam's hair. "It will be alright."

"It's not alright." Liam gulped, looking up at Theo. "Theo, he knows about us. Scott, I mean. He knows."

"What?" Theo's expression was nothing short of shocked. "You said you only told-"

"I didn't tell him. Not...not exactly. When I was questioning myself, my sexuality, my feelings for you...I went to him. He had mentored me, and he's bisexual, and I had questions, and I trusted him, and he  _ guessed _ , Theo. He said there was something different about me, the day I came back from England and went to his office, and..." Liam shrugged. "When I sort of came out to him, he just knew."

"Shit." Theo looked nervous. "But...Liam," Theo said. "You trust him?"

"I did," Liam said. "I...I don't know anymore, and let's be honest, my instincts are sort of terrible half the time..."

"If you trusted him so completely," Theo said, his voice full of confidence, but Liam wasn’t sure if it was genuine, or put on. "There must have been a reason. Maybe he's trying to push Argent left, maybe he cares for the granddaughter, it doesn't matter. Just because those things may be true doesn't mean he would betray your trust like that. In your heart of hearts, in your gut, would he do that? Would he out you?"

Liam paused, really thinking about it, then shook his head. "No. No, he wouldn't."

"Then I think we're alright, Liam." Theo pressed a kiss to Liam's forehead. "You carry too much inside of you."

"Me?" Liam looked at him. "What about you?"

"It's different," Theo said. "This was every burden I was always expected to carry."

"Do you think your family knows about you?" Liam asked. 

"I think they might." He gulped. "When I was younger, after my father passed, and my mother shut herself out of my life, and my grandmother sat me down - I believe I was 18 at the time - and asked me if I understood what being a royal meant. I told her that I did, to the best of my knowledge, and she proceeded to remind me that it meant putting the monarchy ahead of everything, including my own personal needs. She told me that the people wouldn't care what I did behind closed doors, but that I had to show them a certain reality." Theo rested his chin against Liam's shoulder. "She asked if I understood, I said yes. We never confirmed what it was she was talking about, not expressly, but it was too on the nose to be a coincidence."

"I can't imagine what that must be like," Liam admitted. He didn't know what his mother would say if he came out, and he wasn't ready to, but she adored Mason. She had had no problem choosing a running mate with an openly gay son, and he had to believe that she would accept him as well. 

It wasn't his sexuality that he felt was the issue here. It was the man who had brought that part of him out. 

They didn't have sex, they didn't make out feverishly until the wee hours of the morning, they barely even spoke. At some point, they stripped down to their underwear, but they largely remained snuggled up together, just lying in each other's presence. Sometimes, there were a million words that needed to be said, and sometimes, none were necessary at all. Liam didn't need Theo to tell him anything. He just needed Theo to be there, and he was. 

The day had been an absolute roller coaster of emotions, but even with every strange thing that had occurred, lying here, in the middle of the night, in a French hotel room with Theo wrapped around him, Liam felt at peace. This was where he was supposed to be, this was where he  _ wanted _ to be, and whatever the two of them had to do to make that work? He would do it. He didn't love the closed doors, but if it was a wide open life or Theo, he would choose whatever kept the prince close to him. 

"Thank you for this," Liam said. "For being here with me."

"There's no place I would rather be." Theo's voice was low, soft, heavy with sleep, andLiam didn't say anything more. He merely curled up, closed his eyes, and drifted off. 

There was something about falling asleep in Theo's arms that felt like home. Even thousands of miles away in a foreign country, Theo's arms felt like home.


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A careless error leads to one of Theo and Liam's inner circle finding out about their relationship. This complicates everything, and leads them further down the path they are traveling together. As they near a point of no return, Liam begins to come to terms with what this relationship truly means to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ack, the big two zero! Thank you all so much for staying with me for so much of this story, I don't know how to say what it means to me. I really, really appreciate it.
> 
> To see the lovely graphic made for this story by [Sefinh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sefinh/pseuds/Sefinh), go [Here!](https://purplehoodiesandleatherjackets.tumblr.com/post/622869778703450112/paper-moon-chapter-20-theoliam-teen-wolf)

"LIAM!" 

Liam awoke, dazed, to a sharp knock on his door.

"Liam, I swear to god, you had better be awake in there, it is 7:45! We have to leave in 15 minutes, and no one has heard from you!" Stiles' voice carried through from the hallway as he knocked on the door a second time.

_ 7:45? How was that possible! _ Liam gulped, his eyes resting on his phone on the floor, likely broken.

Of course. His alarm hadn't gone off. 

"Shit, shit, shit." Liam jumped out of bed, rushing around to find _ something  _ to put on. 

"What's going on?" Theo asked, opening his eyes, rubbing the sleep out of them. 

"I...we overslept," Liam hissed, his voice quiet. "You have to...I don't know!" 

"Oh god." Theo jumped up, looking around, not sure what to do. 

"I swear to god, Liam!" Stiles called. "If you don't open this door right now, I will have Boyd kick it in!"

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Liam raked a hand through his hair. 

"I know you're in there, Liam! I can hear you!" Stiles growled. “I don’t give a shit if you’re naked. Nothing I haven’t seen before.”

"Okay, yeah, coming! Just a sec!" He called back. He bit his lip, opening the door to the closet. " _ Hide _ " he hissed at Theo as he pushed the prince inside. He shoved a pair of pants in with him and closed the door. 

"Seriously, Liam! We can't be late for this!"

"Hi!" Liam opened the door, trying to block the door frame, but it didn't matter. Stiles barged right in. 

"What the hell. I've been calling you! You're not even dressed!"

"I know, I'm sorry!" Liam said, picking up his broken phone and showing Stiles. "Busted," he said. "I got...you know...with the McCall thing..."

"Oh, okay." Stiles softened a little at that. "Yeah, I get it, just-" Stiles froze. 

"What?" Liam followed Stiles' eyes to the bedside table, where Theo's phone still rested, and then to the bed, with the two used pillows and rumpled sheets.

"Who is she?" Stiles asked. "Who the fuck did you let in here with a goddamn phone!?"

"Stiles, no one, it's fine," Liam said hurriedly. "It's fine, it's no one, okay? It's fine."

"If it's so fine, why are you being so cagey, Liam?" Stiles asked. "She's still here, isn't she, huh?" He walked over to the bathroom, throwing the door open, surprised to find no one inside. 

"See? No one," he said. "I...Mason just left his phone here."

"Mason has been texting you for the last 15 minutes, Liam," Stiles said, turning on him. "Why are you lying to me?"

"Just go, okay? It's fine. I'll be downstairs and ready to go by 8, I promise." Liam pleaded with Stiles, guiding him towards the door. "I promise this isn't going to be a thing, okay? It was just a night, and it's fine, alright? It won't show up to bite us in the ass. No one's going to say anything."

It looked like Stiles was about to give up, to let it go in favor of getting Liam out the door on time, when there was a thud from the closet, and Theo spilled out of it, half way into his trousers. 

"Oh," Theo said, gulping as he hurriedly got to his feet, buttoning the pants. "Hello."

"Oh my god." Stiles' face drained of color as he looked between Liam and Theo. "Oh. My. God." He turned to Liam. "Fine?" He said. "You think this is going to be _ fine _ ?" 

"Stiles, I-"

"No." Stiles shook his head, one of the veins on his neck looking as though it were about to pop. "No, no, no. This is the farthest thing from _ fine _ . The Prince of England?!" 

"Theo, please," Theo said. 

"Oh, don't get me started on you," Stiles said, turning on the prince. "Do you know how bad this will be for you? For _ both _ of you if this gets out? Do you know how bad this will be for your  _ mother, _ Liam? It is one thing to like dick, I could care less about this, but _ royal _ dick? Couldn't you just settle for an underwear model like everybody else?!"

"What?" Liam said. "What are you even talking about?"

"I don't _ know _ , you've driven me to insanity!" Stiles argued. "This is  _ not _ okay! You and him? Not okay!"

"If I may," Theo tried to cut in.

"No." Stiles turned on him again. "No, you may not. What you  _ may  _ do is put a fucking shirt on, and fuck off back to your own fucking country, that is what you  _ may  _ do," Stiles said. "I swear to god, if you are not careful leaving this hotel - I don't care if you're the prince, I wouldn't care if you were a goddamned  _ King _ , I will wring your neck until your heavy little crown wearing head pops off!"

"My god." Theo gulped, cowed by Stiles' intensity. 

"Five minutes," Stiles said. "You have  _ five _ minutes, Liam, to be dressed and out the door. I will meet you in the hallway, we will talk about this on the way to the car, and you." He turned to Theo. "You call your fucking  _ equerry _ and whoever the hell else you call when you royally fuck up, and you wait here for them to extract you. In this room. You do not leave. Is that understood?"

"Yes." Theo nodded hurriedly. 

"You..." Stiles pointed a finger in Liam's face. "Just...you are taking  _ years _ off my life!"

With that, Stiles turned on his heel, practically slamming the door behind him. 

"Oh my god." 

"No, Theo, it's fine," Liam said, turning to the prince. "It's fine. Stiles won't say anything, he's...a lot, and he's very shouty, and his threats are...horrifyingly explicit, but I promise you, he has my best interests at heart."

"You're sure? Because that thing about my neck was-"

"Oddly specific?" Liam nodded. "Yeah, I know. I think that's how he relieves stress, he creates intensely vivid threats in his mind."

"Strange," Theo said, seeming to calm down a little, though it was clear that his heart was still racing. 

"It'll be okay," Liam assured him. "Just...we'll do what he said? Okay. I'm going to get dressed, and you...call Derek, and wait here for him. Go back to England, and I'll call you tonight, or..." he looked at his phone. "I'll call you when I get my phone fixed."

"Alright." Theo nodded.

Both boys dressed, and while the room was silent, there was a clear air of tension. Stiles may have been far from the worst person that could have found them out, but every time their circle of knowing increased, it was stressful, and being caught like this? It had certainly knocked the wind out of both of their sails and brought them back to reality. 

Liam finished smoothing his hair down, making sure that he looked as presentable as possible, with the short window of time he had had to get himself dressed. When he was clothed, he grabbed his jacket, looking at Theo. 

"It'll be alright." Liam's voice was soft as he leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to Theo's lips. "This isn't the end."

"I know." Theo nodded, sitting on the bed, watching Liam head for the door. "We should have been more careful."

"We will be," Liam said. "Next time."

And with that, he left the hotel room, meeting up with Stiles in the hall. Stiles looked as though he had calmed down only marginally, and honestly, Liam couldn't blame him. 

"You know-"

"I know." Liam nodded.

"You couldn't have found literally _ anyone _ else to wet your whistle with?"

"No." Liam looked into Stiles' eyes. "I couldn't."

That stopped Stiles dead in his tracks. Even as angry as he was, he could tell from Liam's tone, from his expression, that there was something real there, something desperate. 

"He's not just some jacked up royal fantasy that you're playing out because you can?"

"No." Liam shook his head. "He's not."

"It's real?" Stiles asked. 

Liam gulped, then nodded, saying nothing - at least not out loud. 

"Okay." Stiles reached out, patting Liam on the back. "Then we'll figure it out."

Liam felt a wave of relief wash over him, but it was short lived. 

"You have to tell her, Liam."

"I know, I just-"

"No." Stiles shook his head. "You have to tell her. When we get back to the States, you have to tell her."

"I will." Liam nodded. He didn't like it, having his hand forced like this, but he knew that Stiles was right.

"If you don't-"

"I will." Liam looked up at Stiles. "I promise. Tomorrow."

"Okay. That's good enough for me." Stiles handed Liam a folder. "Now, this is everyone that's attending this meeting, you can familiarize yourself with it in the car, and-"

"Stiles," Liam said. 

"What?"

"Thank you."

"No, don't thank me. This? I think that this is a  _ terrible _ idea. I think this may be the worst idea in the history of bad ideas."

"Then why did you say ‘okay?’" Liam asked. 

"Because I know you, Liam. I can see it in your eyes that this matters to you, and I know what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it. When something matters to you, you don't give up. I can fight this, and I can make it harder, or I can stand by you and figure out how to handle it. I'm choosing the path of least resistance here, because at the crux of who you are, Liam, is an  _ incredibly _ infuriating and stubborn young man with a lot to offer, and an insane amount of drive." He paused. "Emphasis on  _ insane _ ."

"Yeah." Liam couldn't help but smile slightly. "I meant what I said. Thank you."

***

Before Liam was even out of the meeting in France, Stiles had had his phone replaced. Liam sent word to Theo that everything was alright, but that he was telling his mother. Theo had wished him well, had said that he understood, and that he would be there to talk when it was all over. 

Even with Stiles in his corner now, and Theo waiting in the wings to catch him, Liam was sure that he had never been more nervous than he was as he walked into his mother’s office. 

“Mom?” He said softly, his voice barely a whisper. 

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Mom, I need to talk to you.”

“Honey, can it wait, I’m-”

“No.” Liam shook his head. “Not really. It’s important.”

“Okay.” She closed the file she was looking at and gestured to the seat across from her desk. “What is it, Li?”

“Mom, I have to tell you something." He sat down, but his hands were shaking as he looked up at her. 

"Li, what's going on? Is this about Scott? Argent? Because we'll figure that out. It's not ideal, but we'll make it work."

"No." He shook his head. "Mom, no. It's not about Argent, or Scott. It's about me. Me and..." he gulped his heart hammering against his chest so hard he thought it might burst out. "Me and Theo."

"Don't tell me you're fighting again. All of the press you two have been doing has been so good."

"No, no, we're not fighting." Liam gulped. "Not at all. It's...quite the opposite, actually." He reached a hand up, raking it through his hair. "Mom." He gulped. "I...we're together. Me and Theo." 

The words were barely audible as he stared down hard at her desk, afraid to look up and make eye contact. 

"Liam," Jenna said. "I know things have been tense lately, but that's not funny."

"Yeah...I'm not joking." Liam looked up at her, finally making eye contact. "I'm not joking, mom. We've been, I don't know, together, I guess, for awhile now."

"Oh my god." She gulped. "You're  _ not  _ kidding."

"No." He shook his head.

"Okay." Jenna stood up, heading for the door. 

"Mom?"

"No, Liam, you sit right here, okay? You just stay here. I'm going to go out in the hallway and figure out if I should be your mom first, or the president first, and then we are going to talk this through. I just need a minute."

"Oh." Liam nodded, leaning back into his chair. "Okay."

He wasn't sure what he was expecting, but that was a fairly rational beginning to this, he supposed. It didn't make him any less nervous, though, and it took every ounce of self control he had not to pull his phone out to text Theo an update. He still didn't really know anything, and he didn't want to make the prince anymore nervous than he probably already was. 

"Okay." Jenna came back into the room a few minutes later and smoothed down her skirt as she approached her desk. "I'm sorry to do this to you, sweetie, but I think we're going to go president first."

"Okay..." At least she was still calling him "sweetie." 

That had to be some version of a good sign.

"You know that this could be a huge PR nightmare, right? It's one thing to be gay like Mason, it's another-"

"I'm not gay," Liam said. "I'm bi. I'm pretty sure I'm bi."

"Oh. I'm sorry," she said, seeming genuinely so. "Anyways, my point stands. It's one thing to like boys, it's another to be cavorting with the prince of another country. From a political standpoint, it's a goddamned nightmare, and with the Monarchy where they are on this particular issue, it's not easy. With Argent in the running, I just...I need to make sure you haven't used any White House funds exclusively for gallivanting around with him, have you?"

"No." He shook his head. "Every time we've gotten together, there was some other purpose that served the administration," he said. "I promise. There hasn't been any misappropriation of funds. Not on his end, either. Theo doesn't even use his royal accounts  for anything but charity ."

"What?" She looked confused. 

"He says that the money doesn't feel like it belongs to him," he explained. "That it feels stolen from the people, and should be used exclusively to give back to them. He uses the money that his father left him." Granted, that was a good amount, as Jonathan Raeken had died a celebrated and popular novelist, but still. 

"Okay, well that's good. Regardless, I'm going to need you to give me information on every time you've been with him, travel records, financial records, I just...we need to have this sorted and documented."

"I understand. I can do that." Liam nodded, his heart still beating a mile a minute. 

"And you have got to be more careful. I know he showed up at the hotel in France - I thought you two were just meeting up for a drink since you were both in the same place..."

"He followed me there," Liam admitted. "He saw the news about Scott, and he was worried about me."

"Oh." Her expression softened for a moment, but quickly, her President Mom face took over. "Regardless, you can't do things like that. You can't just be running around in hotel rooms with the Prince of England."

"Okay." He bit his lip. 

"And this is permanent, Liam." She looked at him. "Even if you and him aren't permanent, this, what you're doing? It is permanent. If this gets out - and we will do everything in our power to make sure that it doesn't - but if this gets out, it will mark you forever, Liam. Both of you." She leaned back in her chair. "I'm going to switch to mom mode now, but I need you to listen to me."

Liam nodded. 

"This thing...it may seem fun, and I admit, he's a good looking man, but there are so many real world consequences to this, and if it gets out that you fucked the Prince of England-"

" _ Mom _ !"

"Sorry," she said. "If it gets out that you've had...relations with the Prince of England, that is going to brand you for the rest of your life. You will _ always _ be the First Son who boned the prince. It will never stop following you."

"God, mom, don't say boned..." Liam groaned miserably. 

"Fine, but you get my point?" She asked. "Do you understand what I'm saying? Your relationship may not be forever, but the impact of it? That _ will  _ be forever, so I need you to think. I need you to think hard about whether or not this is worth it, about whether or not  _ Theo  _ is worth it." She paused. "You have so much potential, Liam, but this? If this gets out, and I can do my best to make sure that it doesn't, but I can't guarantee it. If it does, _ this  _ is what you will be known for."

"I understand."

"Oh Liam..." She sighed. "I don't want this for you."

"What?" he asked. 

"If you're telling me this," she said. "That means it's real for you, that it's big, that it's important. And if it's big and important to you, that means you have feelings invested, and if you have feelings invested...I just don't want to see you get your heart broken, honey."

"I might not," Liam said, but even as the words left his mouth, he didn't believe them. He had told Mason as much - that there was no way that this worked out, there was no way that he and Theo made it, and it was pretty clear that his mom could see that too. 

"I've always done everything that I could to protect you."

"You've done a great job," Liam said. "And this isn't something that you could ever have seen coming. I didn't see it coming until it was literally happening to me."

"I want you to be happy, Liam. I want you to have the best possible life."

"I am happy," Liam said softly. 

"He makes you happy?" She asked. 

Liam paused. He thought about the way that Theo had talked him down at Christmas when he had gotten those texts from his father. He thought about the way his stomach flipped when Theo kissed him. He thought about the way Theo's laugh made him feel, and about how Theo's depression scared him. He thought about how safe he felt in Theo's arms, and he looked back up at his mother, nodding. 

"He makes me happy."

Jenna studied her son for a moment, looking into his eyes, at the expression on his face. She processed the words that he had said, and let out a sigh. 

"This won't be easy for you."

"I know that," Liam said. "It already hasn't been easy."

"But you're strong. You're my baby, and you'll always be my baby, but you are your own man now. I need to see you that way. I need to see you for the man you are. You're not a kid who needs me to block for him anymore." She sighed. "Sometimes, I wish you were still my little boy, Liam."

"I'm sorry, mom."

"No. Don't be. I think I need to reassess how I see you a little bit. I've made a lot of forever choices for you, but this? This is the first forever choice you really have to make for yourself." She reached out, taking Liam's hand and squeezing it. "This is what you want?"

"This is what I want." Liam's voice wasn't shaky anymore. He spoke with a clear determination, and he looked his mother right in the eyes as he spoke. 

"Alright then," she said. "I'll back you. I'm behind you, Liam. 100%. However this goes, whatever happens, I will back you. As your mother, as your President...this is your decision to make, and I won't be anything shy of supportive." She stood up, walking over to the other side of the desk, looking down at her son. "I won't pretend that this doesn't scare the shit out of me, Liam."

"It scares me, too," he said, rising, keeping his gaze on her. "But it's what I want."

"Then you do what you have to do to be happy, Li," she said. "And I'll do what I have to do to protect you."

Liam gulped, tears welling in his blue eyes as he launched himself into his mother's arms. He had known that she wouldn't have a problem with his sexuality, but everything else had been such an unknown, and this was so much better than he could ever have hoped for. 

"Thank you, mom," he breathed. 

"You're welcome," she said, rubbing his back. "Just one more thing?"

"Yeah?" Liam stood back, reaching up to wipe at his eyes. 

"I want to meet him."

"What?" Liam was confused. "You've met him."

"No, I haven't." She shook her head. "I've met Theodore, Prince of Wales. I haven't met Theo, my son's boyfriend."

"I...he's not my boyfriend. Or...at least I don't think he is? It's not something we've put into words, we just sort of _ are _ , and it works."

"Well, as long as it works."

"It does."

"I still want to meet him," she said. "Invite him to the lake."

"What?" Liam was shocked. "Really?"

"Yes." Jenna smiled. "It's the perfect place to get to know him on a more personal level, don’t you think?."

"I, yeah, okay." Liam threw his arms around his mother again, holding her tight. "I love you, mom."

"I love you, too, sweetheart." She kissed the top of his head. "Now get me all the relevant information, and call your prince, make sure he can come to California."

"I will." Liam nodded, still wiping at his eyes as they separated for a second time. 

"Are you alright?" Jenna asked. 

"Yeah." Liam nodded. "I am now."

And he was.    
  
Since this thing with Theo had begun, he had worried about his mother, and how it would impact her if she found out - how it would impact his relationship with her. This didn't mean that there wasn't anything more to worry about, but it was a step in the right direction, and as he left her office to go call Theo, Liam felt as though he were walking on sunshine.


	21. Chapter Twenty-One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam invites Theo to the lake house with his family, and Theo accepts. There, they are able to be themselves, and get to know each other. While Theo gets to know Liam's family, Liam lets in feelings that he has been keeping at bay.

"Wait, I'm sorry, what do you mean come to the lake?" Theo asked. 

"Oh." Liam smiled up at his ceiling, still feeling as though he was on cloud nine as he spoke to Theo. "Every August, my mom and I go to this lake. Since she became President, we rent out every house on it for a week. It's a small lake, so it's like, you know, not a ton, just like four houses, you know, and we don't necessarily fill them all. Just for privacy. It's totally secluded, this little paradise an hour from where I grew up." He sighed. "And it's just us, and whoever we invite to visit, and we grill, and swim, and fish, and get sunburnt, and drink too many margaritas, and stay up too late..."

"It sounds perfect, Liam."

"Yeah." Liam smiled. "It really is. Anyways, we go for a week, and you can come for some or all of it, I just...she wants to meet you. She's in and out, of course, because, you know, _ President _ , but my stepdad, Mason and I will be there the whole week, and I know he's invited Corey already, and if you were there...I mean, you can bring your PPOs, we can put them in one of the houses, or whatever security and team you need, and we can just be  _ us, _ Theo. We can have our little room overlooking a lake in Northern California, and not have to worry about anyone seeing us, or what they might think. We can just...be."

"Liam," Theo said. "Of course I'll come."

"Yeah?" Liam asked, his smile growing. 

"Yes. Of course. Have Stiles send Derek everything, and they'll get it sorted out."

"Awesome, okay. Yes. Good." Liam sighed. "I'm so happy, Theo. Even with everything with Scott, and my dirtbag father...this will be good. This will be really good." He paused. "It will be our little corner of the world, where we can pretend that what we have is okay, and normal."

"I'm already counting the days."

"You can bring your tiny pink swim trunks..."

"What is it with you and my pink swimwear?"

"You  _ know  _ what it is, stop fishing for compliments."

"I am not fishing for compliments! I am genuinely curious. I have several other perfectly viable swim trunks I could pack."

"Don't you dare," Liam said. 

"Liam..."

"You look good in pink, okay? It doesn't hurt that they're tiny, either, but you look nice in pink. Say nothing."

"You know keeping quiet with you isn't really in my nature."

"Yeah, that I walked right into that one."

"I'll pack the pink trunks."

"Thank you." Liam smiled. "I should probably go, I have a million things I have to compile for my mom with all of this, but I..." he smiled. "I'll call you later, okay?"

"Of course. Take care, Liam."

"I will."

***   
  
By the time Theo arrived at the lake house, Liam had already been there for two days, and as the Prince approached the cottage, a designer duffel bag slung over one shoulder, Liam ran out to greet him, already tanned. 

"You made it!" He flung his arms around Theo, glad that they had nothing to hide here. Everyone that was working had been informed of all they needed to know, and a house had been given to Theo's personal security. 

"Is Stiles going to murder me for kissing you?" Theo asked. 

"Nope." Liam shook his head. "He's not even here. He took a few days off, so we don't have to worry about Stiles and his colorful insults."

"Fantastic." Theo leaned down, kissing Liam softly. 

"Come on," Liam said, all smiles as he pulled away from the prince. "I'll show you our room, then we can hit the lake."

Liam took Theo's hand, leading him to an upstairs room with a double bed, and true to Liam's promise, a window overlooking the lake. 

As Theo looked around, Liam grabbed a pair of black board shorts from his dresser, and swapped out his cutoffs and tank top for them. When he turned to face Theo again, the other man was fishing something out of his bag. 

"Oh, you shouldn't have," Liam said with a grin as Theo stood fully, pink swim trunks in hand. 

" _ Someone _ wasn't going to let me hear the end of it if I didn't."

Liam leaned in, kissing Theo long and deep, reaching down to push Theo's jeans off as he did so. 

"Change," he said. "We have some rays to soak up."

"Careful, Liam, your California Boy is showing."

"Let it." Liam said. "This is my place. I feel good here."

"Yes," Theo said, slipping out of the rest of his clothes in favor of the pink trunks. "I can see that. You look very happy."

"You keep saying that you wonder what it would be like, if you could be just you, away from every obligation that you have. Maybe it's just for a few days, but you can do that here." He reached out, taking Theo's hand again. " _ We  _ can do that here."

The lake was perfect, and the cover from the trees, and the general privacy of the area leant a freedom to Liam and Theo that they hadn't had before. They splashed around, making out in the water, and playing games with Mason and Corey as they afternoon went by.    
  
Come evening, everyone was back at the house. 

Jenna was manning the grill, working on her famous ribs, while David was inside, prepping salads and sides. Corey and Mason were on the porch swing. Mason was sitting upright holding on to both of their drinks while Corey leaned against him, half drunk, strumming at a guitar in his lap, quietly serenading his boyfriend with love songs. 

"We should go be helpful," Liam said, pulling himself out of the lake and onto the dock. "I’m gonna go help my stepdad...you should go talk to my mom. She wants to get to know you."

"Alright." Theo nodded, also emerging from the water.

Liam watched as the Prince toweled off, pulling a short sleeved white linen shirt on over his shoulders. He didn't button it, though, and Liam couldn't help but notice how good Theo looked, lake water glistening on his abs.

"Hey." Liam caught Theo by the wrist, pulling him close, kissing him softly. "Just be yourself, alright? She'll like you."

"Thank you." Theo pressed a kiss to Liam's jaw, and, hands intertwined, they made their way back to the house.

"Here." David passed a cutting board and several tomatoes over to Liam. "Make yourself useful."

"Sir, yes sir." He saluted, and took up the knife. 

"Even when your mother told me about you and Theo," David said. "I don't think I realized what he meant to you."

"Yeah..." Liam smiled, situating his cutting board so that he had a view of the grill, watching as Theo approached his mom. "He's not the person he shows the world."

"Few of us are." David swept some chopped avocado into the large salad bowl, and reached for a red onion. "But he seems to fit right in here."

"There’s so much more to him than what he tends to put forth, and you know that it's different here," Liam said. "No one's a Prince, or President, or First Son, we're all just...people. The kind of people you can actually get to know."

"That is true." David nodded. "I think coming here every summer keeps your mother grounded." He smiled as he watched his wife open the grill and raise a pair of tongs, showing Theo how to flip the ribs.

"Oh god." Liam set his knife down on the cutting board. "He's going to drop them! He doesn't know how to cook!" His worry, however, turned to laughter as Jenna reached out, steadying Theo's hand. It was shaky, but he managed to, with the help of Liam's mom, flip the ribs successfully. "God, I love it when he's not perfect."

David turned his attention to Liam, shaking his head. "You sure do know how to bring about the most complicated situations for yourself, don't you?"

"What can I say?" Liam shrugged, getting back to his tomatoes. "The heart wants what the heart wants. I didn't mean for this to happen."

"No," David shook his head. "I didn't think that you did. It's just odd, how it's all shaking out. I've never seen you like this with someone before."

"I've never  _ been _ like this with anyone before," Liam admitted. 

"Falling in love for the first time is a funny thing," David mused. 

"Oh, no, no, I'm not-"

"Liam." David turned to face his stepson. "Your royal boyfriend is out by the grill with your mother learning the family barbecue secrets. You had better be in love with him."

Liam laughed, shaking his head, because of _ course _ that was something that David would say...but was he wrong? Liam had not allowed his thoughts to go down that road yet, but it wasn’t quite as easy to ignore when someone else was bringing it up.

At dinner, Liam watched Theo rip into ribs for the first time. Theo just picked the meat up in his hands and went for it with a reckless, very un-princely abandon, and Liam felt like he might be in love. 

That night, when they went to bed together, and Theo took Liam inside of him for the first time, he felt like he might be in love.

When they woke up the next morning, sun streaming through the bedroom window, Theo's pink swim trunks bunched up at the top of Liam's pillow, and a slight pounding in his head from margaritas, he felt like he might be in love.

"You alright?" Theo asked over breakfast. 

"Yeah." Liam yawned. "Hungover."

"I should have warned you," Theo laughed, passing Liam a glass of water. "Corey mixes his drinks strong."

"He's off cocktail duty for the foreseeable future," Mason said, stumbling in, draped over Corey, who somehow seemed perfectly fine. 

Jenna and David were out for a walk, and it was just the four of them. They passed eggs, and orange juice, and laughed together, Mason still half-slumped against Corey, Liam leaning unconsciously against Theo. He hadn't realized until they had been together in a place without prying eyes just how easy it was to be in constant contact with the prince. His body felt drawn to Theo's, even just for the slightest touch, and even in the morning, without a drop of alcohol in his system, save for what remained from the night before, he felt drunk. 

Completely, and utterly drunk on the other man. 

As the day progressed, and Liam watched Theo make a perfect swan dive off of the deck, the picture of elegance, he thought to himself, _ I love him. _

As Theo grabbed him, dragging him into the water, dunking his head under in a rare display of childish immaturity, he thought to himself  _ I love him. _

With every turn, every little thing that Theo did from the way he hitched up his swim trunks, to the way he wrapped his fingers around the neck of a beer bottle entranced Liam. He couldn't keep it back any longer. 

When they were in the real world, when he was only able to see the real Theo for moments at a time, it was easier to hold back, but now, here, where they could fall asleep together, and not worry about having to wake up early to sneak out, it was different. Here, where Theo could lounge around all day, saying whatever popped into his head, instead of perfectly curated sound bytes, it was different. 

Here, when it was just Theo and Liam, rather than The Prince and the First Son, and they weren't faking who they were for anyone, everything was different, and Liam couldn't pretend anymore. 

He was in love with Theo, and without every wall that they normally had up, he let those feelings in. They had been howling at the gates of his heart for awhile now, and he had pushed them back, but now? As the sun set, and he watched Theo sip at a margarita while debating the nuances of Ursula Le Guin's work with David, he could feel the love blooming in his chest. 

Theo fit here. He fit with Liam. He fit with Liam's family, with his friends, and that, he thought, was worth every risk.   
  
***

“Hey.” That night, Liam shook Theo awake. They were lying in bed together, the sheets pooled around them as moonlight lit the room, perfectly spotlighting Theo’s body.    
  
“Mmm, what?” Theo rolled over to face Liam.    
  
“Do you wanna go down to the dock? Just us?”   
  
“What time is it?”   
  
“Like midnight? We’ll be able to see a million stars.”

Theo smiled. “Alright.”   
  
The boys got up, dressing quietly, and sneaking out of the house, not wanting to wake anyone. Liam wanted this time just to themselves, he wanted to tell Theo what was on his mind, and he wanted to know what the other man was thinking, what he was feeling.    
  
Liam set two beach towels down on the dock, and he lay down on one while Theo took the other.    
  
“I like it here,” Theo said, gazing up at the sky.   
  
“I like being here with you,” Liam smiled.    
  
“It’s nice,” Theo admitted. “Being away from everything, and you were right. The stars are absolutely incredible,” he mused.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Liam asked, reaching for Theo’s hand as they rested, shoulders pressed together. He could hear the sound of the water lapping at the dock, he could hear the slight breeze, and he could feel it on his skin, just as he could feel Theo.    
  
“It really is something else,” Theo stated. “I will admit, I didn’t realize America could be so beautiful. I thought of it mostly as smog and overdevelopment.”   
  
“Well,” Liam laughed. “There are still little pockets like this one that are perfect.”   
  
“Are you going to tell me all of the constellations?” Theo said, turning to look at Liam.    
  
And Liam may not have known a damn thing about the constellations in the sky, but the ones in Theo’s eyes? Those ones he was starting to learn.    
  
“No.” Liam shook his head. “Couldn’t if I wanted to.”   
  
“Classic.” Theo laughed.    
  
“Hey, I know lots of stuff!” Liam said.    
  
“I know, I know.” Theo laughed. “I won’t waste our time validating you, however. I don’t want to contribute to your already massive ego.”   
  
“You already have,” Liam said.

“Oh?”   
  
“Yeah.” Liam rolled onto his side, his focus entirely on Theo now, and not on the stars overhead. “Come on, you have to know that. The way that you talk to me, the way that you touch me, the way that you kiss me…”

“Liam…”   
  
“What?” Liam asked. “Come on! The fact that you care about me the way that you do? The fact that someone as incredible and impressive as you cares about me? That you’ve chosen me?”   
  
“You’re impressive, Liam,” he said. “You have to know that.”   
  
“No, I do, I mean...at least to some degree, but my point is it still feels good, you know? Having your affections.”

Theo leaned in, putting his hand on Liam’s cheek, kissing him softly.    
  
“Getting away from everything is wonderful,” Theo admitted. “I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere like this, where I could just be me in front of other people. Even with my family, even though I suspect they know more about me than they’ve said out loud, I know that they don’t want to hear it. You’re lucky, Liam. You’re lucky to have a mother who wants what’s best for you, and fights for that. You’re lucky to have a step father that looks out for you just the same.”    
  
“I know.” Liam nodded. 

Hearing it felt strange, though. He worried about his biological father, and he hated how difficult the man had made his life for as long as he had, but Theo was right. Theo was seeing something that Liam had all of the time, even if it wasn’t always as open and easy as it was right now, at the lake. The fact that Theo never had that, that he never got the full support of his family? That hurt. It hurt a lot, and it made Liam even more determined to share with Theo what he was feeling.

Liam wanted Theo to know how much he cared about him. He wanted the Prince to know that Liam was in love with  _ him _ , and not some version of him that the monarchy made him advertise. He wanted Theo to know that all of him was accepted - the happiness, the dark moods, his love feminist science fiction literature, and  _ Lord of the Rings. _ He didn’t fall for the charismatic Prince. He had fallen for Theo, and while he was sure that Theo did know that, he still wanted to tell him. 

Didn’t he deserve to have that sense of security? Even if it was just here, he deserved to know that someone truly loved him for all that he was, nothing more, and nothing less.    
  
“Theo,” Liam breathed, his eyes locked on Theo’s. He traced his fingers down Theo’s jaw. “Theo, there’s-”   
  
“Did you see that?” Theo turned away, looking back up at the night sky. “I swear to god, I just saw a shooting star.”   
  
“Oh.” Liam smiled at Theo’s excitement over the shooting star, but he wanted to draw the other man’s gaze back towards him.    
  
“Maybe it was nothing,” Theo said, his eyes focused on the sky.

"I'm sure it wasn't nothing," Liam said softly, reaching once again for Theo's hand. "They're fleeting, you know? Blink and you miss them."

"I suppose." Theo nodded, not moving his gaze from the stars. "I suppose a lot of things are."

"Wait, what?" Liam frowned. 

"Well this isn't forever, Liam. This lake, this house, this  _ us _ , we'll have to go right back to what we were in a few days."

"I know," Liam said. "But it's good, it's been worth it."

"Yes." Theo smiled. "It has been, hasn't it."

"Yes." Liam nodded. "And look, I really wanted to say something to you."

"Can it wait until tomorrow?" Theo asked, sitting up, stifling a yawn. "I'm really quite tired."

"Oh, yeah, of course." Liam nodded, getting up. "I'm sorry, I totally woke you up..." He smiled. "I just wanted to see the stars with you."

"It was lovely, Liam," Theo said. 

They rolled up the towels, carrying them back to the house.

Liam wrote Theo's quietness off as being tired. It wasn't until he woke the next morning to find Theo gone that he realized he had been wrong.

At first, Liam didn't process that Theo was  _ gone _ gone, he just thought the man had gotten up and gone downstairs. However, as he sat up and looked around, he noticed the truth. 

Theo's duffel was gone. His sunglasses were no longer resting on the bureau. His swim trunks weren't hanging to dry on the bedpost, his linen over shirt wasn't draped over the chair.

Liam got up, his heart racing. Theo's products were gone from the bathroom, his dirty clothes missing from the hamper. In fact, the only sign remaining that Theo had been there at all was a note tucked into the bathroom mirror, written in Theo's perfect cursive. 

**Liam,**

**I've had to leave early, something has come up in England, so I've left with my PPOs. I didn't want to wake you. Thank you for everything.**

**-Theo**

Liam stared at the note. Okay, so Theo had to go back for some princely business, that made sense, right? Except something felt wrong. The note was, yes, just a note, but even so, it was void of Theo's usual sentiments. Gone were the pet names and poetic language. There was no French, not even a goodbye, just a dash, followed by his name. 

When Liam called, Theo didn't pick up. When Liam texted, he didn't write back.

As the day went by, Liam grew more and more nervous. With every hour that Theo didn't text back, he worried. With every minute that his phone didn't ring, he felt panic blooming in his chest. He spent his day taking deep breaths and trying not to give his brain the room to fear what he was already fearing.

That the pitiful, handwritten note, was the last communication that he would receive from Theo.


	22. Chapter Twenty-Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Theo continues to ignore Liam's calls and texts, Liam begins to spiral at the realization of what he's lost, and the heartbreak that ensues as a result. Desperate for Theo, he makes a Hail Mary play for the Prince's attention.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry about the angst and the cliffhanger from the last chapter, so I'm updating today to give you more...I can't not have the angst/drama factor, I'm sorry! I hope you're still enjoying this, even so! Also, in a lot of ways, I think this might be my favorite chapter, so I hope you get as much out of it as I did!

The rest of the week at the lake went by in a blur. Corey flew back to London, saying if Theo had to return, he might be needed, but Liam felt like there was something that Corey wasn't telling him, and if Mason knew, he wasn't spilling the beans. 

He sent Theo a few messages a day while at the lake, hoping that he was just busy, that something really  _ had _ come up, but as he packed up to leave, he felt hope dwindling.    
  
By the time he returned to DC, he felt like he had completely lost the plot. 

After awhile, Liam stopped texting Theo, stopped calling him, stopped e-mailing him. If the other man wanted to hear from him, he would have called him back by now. Liam didn't know what was happening, what had gone wrong, but he didn’t think that continuing to hound Theo would be helpful. 

He had been about to tell Theo that he loved him, and maybe Theo had figured that out. Maybe Theo had been stringing him along this entire time, and now that real feelings were involved, the prince wanted out. 

How  _ dare _ he toy with Liam's heart like that?

It was one thing, before, when Liam hadn't let that feeling into his chest, when he had held off from admitting to himself that he was in love with Theo, but he had done it, those feelings were there, and that knowledge was inside of him. 

It was inside of him, and it was tearing outwords, shredding him to pieces. 

Every time he checked his phone to find nothing from Theo, he wanted to smash it, to throw it against the ground, and let it stay there in ruin. If his phone was broken, at least then he could pretend that Theo was trying to get a hold of him.

Except he knew that Theo wasn't, and he didn't want to deal with Stiles reading him the riot act for destroying yet another phone on top of everything that he was already feeling. 

He threw himself into work, spending hours and hours researching every little thing that Stiles put him onto. In 5 days, he logged 17 hours of overtime, and Stiles finally sent him away from the office, telling him that he couldn't return until he could breathe properly again. 

Liam felt like that might be forever.

If Liam had thought that it was rough when Theo kissed him and then ghosted him, this was nothing in comparison to what he was going through now. 

Sleep was out the window, and Liam stayed awake most nights either pacing the White House or staring up at his ceiling. His eyes bored into the spot where he had so often looked when he'd been lying on his back, phone resting on his chest, Theo's voice talking to him from the speaker.

He shut everyone out, Mason included, and since Stiles was seemingly hell bent on barring him from work until he could behave rationally, he did research at home from his bedroom. He sent Stiles long e-mails every day, full of his findings, but they went unanswered. Stiles was reading them, Liam was sure - after all, there was good research in them, good suggestions. Stiles was too smart to ignore that, and Liam knew it. The lack of response, he was certain, was Stiles not wanting to feed into Liam's recent unhealthy extra working habits. He had wanted Liam to take a break, and hell, Liam wasn't sure if that had come from  _ Stiles _ , or from Jenna...whom Liam had also shut out. 

Liam felt like he was going crazy. He had food sent up from the kitchens, but he barely touched it. He went for walks, he tried to work out, he tried to stay sane, but he just couldn't. He wanted Theo, he  _ loved  _ Theo, and it hurt that the other man hadn't loved him back. It stung that they had never been on the same page. Liam had never been used before, not like this, at least, and it was killing him. 

When his father had left him, had abandoned him, he had been young, and angry, and he didn't understand. A part of him was furious with just how little things had changed. He wasn't as young, but being abandoned by Theo? Well, he was angry, and he didn't understand. Things had been good. They had been  _ so  _ good. They were facing the world together, they were facing each challenge as it came, and now that was all gone. For what? Liam had no idea.

On the morning of the 15th day of no contact, Scott McCall officially announced that he was joining Gerard Argent's campaign, and the knife that was already seemingly permanently lodged in Liam's back by Theo twisted deeper with Scott’s official betrayal. 

He threw every dish that he could find in his room at the ground, yelling loudly as he smashed them. When a staffer knocked on the door to check on him, he shouted for them to go away. He didn't let anyone into his room. If he couldn’t be with Theo, he needed to be by himself.

He pulled out his phone and texted Scott. 

**_You coward. You absolute fucking bastard. How could you do this? You KNOW what that man stands for, and it's everything you're not. You're bisexual. You're Mexican. How can you back him? How can you just stand by his side and let him do all of the horrible things that he is going to do? I hope his hot granddaughter is worth it, you humongous jackass._ **

He fired off the text, his hands shaking as he typed another. 

**_I trusted you._ **

He stared at the message again before hitting send, wondering, once he had done so, if the hurt that he was feeling inside of him was conveyed in the message. He hoped so. He wanted Scott to know.

Scott didn't reply to either message, and that didn't surprise Liam. Still fueled by his anger, unable to help himself, he opened his bathroom door and stood back, throwing his phone as hard as he could at the tile wall. It shattered, to a degree, pieces of it flying off in every direction, and Liam?

He didn't care. 

He stared at it for a moment, his line of connection to so many people in pieces once again, but still, he didn't care. He only wanted to hear from one person, and that one person wanted nothing to do with him.

Liam sighed, and went to his desk. He opened up his computer, and started an e-mail to Stiles to let him know that he would need a new phone for the second time in just a couple of months. Once he was finished, he knew that he should have closed his computer. He was overrun with emotions; primarily with anger, and confusion. He hadn't sent anything to Theo for days, though, and if this was it? If this was how they ended, he needed to say one last thing. 

Well, a few last things.

**From: liam@dunbaradministration.com  
** **To: Theodore**

**How dare you. How** **_dare_ ** **you let me in? How dare you open every door and window into my heart and soul, and then run? How dare you make me feel things I've never let myself feel, and then run from them? Run from me?**

**I fell for you in a way that I had never intended. I fell for you in a way that I didn't know was fucking possible, and you took all of that for granted. You took all of it, and you threw it aside. I let you in, and you let me down.**

**I thought you cared about me. I thought that what we had meant something to you - I thought that** **_I_ ** **meant something to you. What a fool I was to believe you.**

**Before, I told you about Alexander Hamilton and John Laurens? I found this in one of their letters. I had no idea how relevant it would become for me. Well, for us, I guess, you lying sack of shit.**

**"You should not have taken advantage of my sensibility to steal into my affection without my consent."**

**Hamilton wrote that to Laurens, and now I'm writing it to you, because you did that. You did that to me. I did not ask you to come into my life like this. I did not ask you to put yourself out there for me to grab onto, but you did it, and I responded, and you have left me completely undone. You took advantage of the fact that I was open to you, to all of the** **_possibilities_ ** **of you, and you wrecked me.**

**I hope that you read this. I hope that when you do, you can't breathe, so that one small part of you knows how I have felt every second of every day since you turned your back on me.**

He didn't sign it, he just hit send.   
  
When he finished, he opened his desk drawer to get a pen so violently that the entire drawer came flying out, the contents along with it. 

On his bedroom floor, scattered among pens and post-it notes, were his memories of Theo.

The fucking turkey brooch that Theo had given him at New Year's. The silver neck tie that Theo had tossed on his bed the night they had first hooked up. A matchbook from the hotel in France where Theo had come to comfort him after Scott’s initial betrayal. How empty that gesture had been, apparently. 

And then there was the note from Paris. 

**I had to go back to England. I didn't want to wake you, you looked so peaceful sleeping. Last night was a revelation. A la prochaine, mon trésor.**

It was the same sentiment as the note he had received from Theo, tucked inside of the bathroom mirror frame in the lake house, but the tone was completely different. The note from Paris was full of warmth, familiarity, and kindness. The note from the lake house was dry, blunt, and impersonal.   
  
Liam crumpled the note in his hand leaning up against the wall of his bedroom. He brought his knees to his chest, and wrapped his arms around them, burying his head between his legs and chest, the note still crushed in his fist. 

He wanted to cry. He had wanted to cry for days now, for weeks, but he hadn't let himself. He hadn't let himself, because he was afraid of breaking entirely, and he needed to keep pushing forwards. Liam couldn't let this destroy him. Except maybe it was already too late. 

Theo was gone, and Scott was a traitor. He wasn't alone, and he knew that. There was still Mason, his mother, Hayden, if he called her...but it wasn't the same. Two people who had had such a big, positive impact on him were abandoning him now, and he was struggling with what that meant. First his father, and now this?

He had lost two more people recently, one whom he had trusted, the other? 

The other he had loved. 

The other he _ still  _ loved.

He thought about the note in his hand, and the tender way that Theo had put an arm around him as he read Liam _ Le Monde _ in Paris. His thoughts drifted to their late night phone calls, to the way that Theo had been there for him on Christmas Eve when his father had called, the way that Theo had flown to France to make sure that he was alright when Scott had betrayed him. And then there was the way that Theo had been with him when they had first had sex, how gentle and caring the other man had been. He couldn't erase from his mind the way that Theo's eyes had been looking down at him, and he couldn't believe that Theo's feelings had never been real. 

He absolutely couldn't believe it.

These past couple of weeks, that was the path that he had gone down. He had made himself believe that Theo didn't share his feelings, so he had left, but as Liam sat there, tears welling in his eyes, and streaming down his cheeks, he knew that couldn't have been the case. 

Theo wouldn't have chased him around the world just to have sex. Sure, Liam was good looking, but there were hotter guys out there who would kill to have sex with a prince. No, it had been _ him _ . Theo had liked  _ him _ cared about  _ him _ , and the more he thought about it - the way that Theo spoke to him, touched him, kissed him,  _ looked _ at him, the more he became certain of one thing. 

That Theo had loved him, too. 

Liam gulped, grabbing his iPad, and group messaging Boyd and Erica. 

**_What are you two up to for the next 48 hours? Please say nothing. I really need you. Both of you._ **

Then he dug out his emergency credit card, and purchased three tickets, non-stop to Heathrow, departing in 3 hours. 

***

"What do you  _ mean  _ you're on the runway at Dulles?" Stiles was practically screaming over the phone at Liam. 

"I mean I'm on a plane. I'm in First Class, so it's fine, I'm not being crowded or bothered by other passengers, and I brought Boyd and Erica, they're right next to me." He sighed. "But I need you to arrange a car for us when we land. Please, Stiles."

"No. Absolutely not. You. Are. Delusional. You can't do this. You know that, right? You can't do this! You can't just fly across the world to bother the Prince of motherfucking England!"

"I'm sorry, Stiles," Liam said, trying to keep his voice from breaking. "I  _ have _ to." 

And something about his tone must have hit, because after a long pause, and following a heavy sigh, Stiles agreed. 

"Fine. But for the record, I do not condone this, and I do not think that it is a good idea."

"Thank you, Stiles." Liam sighed, leaning back in his seat. "I owe you one."

"No, no. Not one.  _ Many _ . You owe me  _ many _ , Liam. And if this goes south, it's not just me you'll owe."

"I know." Liam raked a hand through his hair. "But it won't.” He paused, thinking about the situation. “Well, it might." He sighed. "Shit."

"Liam, I swear to god-"

"I know!" Liam snapped. "If I fuck this up, you'll rip my dick off and shove it so far down my throat that it'll come out my ass."

"Wow." Stiles sounded surprised. "I mean, yes. But wow."

"You are nothing if not consistent, Stiles."

"You are nothing if not consistently nerve wracking."

"Well, at least we both have consistency in common. I have to go, my flight is about to take off, but car? Please?"

"Yes, you dumb ass. There will be a car. Do they know you're coming?"

"No." Liam shook his head. "I didn't think it would be easier if they did. I don’t want to give them time to find an easy way to shut me out, you know?"

"I do not know. I will never understand you. Have a safe flight. Don't be stupid. Well, don’t be more stupid than you are already being."

Liam didn't reply, he just hung up Boyd's phone and handed it back to him, his own still broken on his bathroom floor back at the White House.

His heart was pounding as the flight took off. He had no idea if this was a good idea or not, but he didn't know what else to try.    
  
***

As promised, there was a shiny, black car waiting for them when they arrived, despite the fact that it was 3 in the morning.    
  
Liam was grateful to Stiles for coming through. 

Someone must have radioed for Derek, because as the car drove through the gates of Kensington Palace, Derek came out in the pouring rain, wearing Wellington boots a fucking designer pea coat over his pajamas. He had finished off the whole look with a clear, plastic umbrella, and a deep scowl. 

Liam got out of the car, walking up to him. 

"Be thankful that Mr. Stilinski called and let us know you were planning to drop in."

"That fucker!" Liam snarled. 

"If not for his heads up, you would never have gotten past the gates," Derek stated. 

"Well fine, then ‘yay Stiles,’" Liam said sarcastically. "Now come on. Let me through."

"No, Liam." Derek shook his head. “I can’t do that.”

"Why did you let us past the gate if you're not gonna let me through?"

"Because we thought it would be better for you to throw your little temper tantrum somewhere a bit more private."

That was fair, and Liam couldn't argue with it rationally, but he wanted to fight against every fucking word that came out of Derek's mouth right now. It was pouring down rain, and the asshole hadn't even offered him a part of his umbrella, let alone one of his own. 

Water was streaming down his face, drenching his clothes. His hair was already plastered to his cheeks and forehead, and he knew that it was only going to get worse the longer he was out here.

"What are you doing here, Liam?" Derek asked, his tone stoic. 

"You know why I'm here," Liam said, trying to walk past him. 

Derek moved, blocking Liam's way. 

"Liam, get back in the car and go back to America. I can arrange for a hotel room for you and your security for the night, but you cannot be here."

"I can be! I am! You're being unreasonable!"

"I am not being unreasonable, Liam," Derek stated. "Did you stop to think that perhaps it is you who is being unreasonable? His royal highness doesn't want to see you."

"You know what? Fuck you.  _ Fuck  _ you Derek!" Liam shouted. "You're not his keeper!"

"Yes, I am in fact his keeper. That is exactly what I am, Liam. If he wanted to see you, I would know. He doesn't, so leave."

"I won't!" Liam said. 

"Don't make me call for the PPOs, Liam. Please." Derek reached up, pinching the bridge of his nose, clearly frustrated. 

"I won't. Just let me in."

"You have to know that I can't do that."

"Derek, let me in, or I swear to god-"

"Liam..." Derek's tone was warning, and Liam knew that he was about to cross a line here. Sure, Derek wasn't royalty, but threatening him was probably not a good idea. 

Instead, he faked left, and when, shockingly, Derek actually fell for it, he ran. He bolted past him towards the nearest window. 

"THEO!" He screamed up at the window. "THEO! GET DOWN HERE YOU MOTHERFUCKING ASSHOLE AND TALK TO ME!" 

"Jesus Christ." Derek raced after Liam, grabbing him around the middle, attempting to drag him back to the car. 

"Get your hands off of him," Boyd said.    
  
Erica, from beside him, shot Derek a look that must have been impressive, because Derek's arms dropped from his waist. 

"IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY TO ME, SAY IT! DON'T JUST GHOST ME AGAIN! THEO, YOU CAN'T DO THIS! GET DOWN HERE AND FACE ME LIKE A MAN!"

"What in heaven's name is going on here?"

Liam's gaze was ripped from the window to a doorway, where Theo stood. The Prince was leaning against the door frame in a pair of sleep pants and a worn sweater, his feet bare, and he looked every bit as exhausted as Liam felt. 

"Tell him to let me in," Liam said, pointing angrily at Derek. 

"It's alright, Theo," Derek said. "I'll get rid of him, you can go back to bed."

"No, Derek..." Theo let out a long suffering sigh. "Let him in."

"What?" Derek frowned. "But you said..."

"He's going to wake all of England shouting like that," Theo said. "You know that we can't let that happen."

"Right." Derek glared at Liam, and honestly, it was so intense Liam thought he might drop dead right on the spot.

Still, Derek moved aside, allowing Liam to, finally, make his way into the palace. The second he walked towards the door, Theo turned his back. Liam kicked off his sopping wet shoes, and trudged after him in uncomfortably wet socks; in uncomfortably wet  _ everything. _

"Theo," he said as he followed him up a staircase. 

There was no reply. 

"Theo..." Liam tried again. " _ Theo! _ "

Theo turned, an unreadable expression on his face. 

"Shut up, Liam. I would much prefer to do this in private, and at the rate you're going, you'll wake the entire palace, if you haven’t already." He turned back around, continuing to head up the stairs. 

"Do what?" Liam asked. "Break up with me?"

Once again, Theo didn't respond, but picked up his pace. Liam matched it, and soon, Theo was opening a door, and all but dragging Liam inside. The prince closed the door, and turned to Liam with his arms folded. 

"Say what you absolutely must, Liam. And then you may take your leave."

"What?" Liam looked at Theo. "No, we're doing this. We're going to talk. I'm going to say something, and you're going to say something, then me again, then you - we're going to have a conversation."

"No, Liam. We aren't. You can't just barge in here like this, and I'd rather not do this at all, but since you apparently won't let it go, say what you must and be done with it."

Liam paused, looking around. This was Theo's bedroom, he knew that. He had seen snippets of it in pictures, and FaceTimes, but never the whole thing, and he was overwhelmed by just how  _ un-Theo _ the whole thing was. The entire room was decorated in silver and gold, with very refined artwork, and a large comfy looking mattress in a gilded bed frame. The only bits of it that remotely screamed Theo were the Tolkein books on the nightstand, and an old, plain and simple writing desk in the corner. 

"There is no _ done _ with it, Theo," Liam said. "I don't just have a few words to say and then it's all good."

"Then say more than a few. Say whatever you need to to be on your way, or get closure, or whatever it is you apparently need so badly."

"What  _ I  _ need so badly?" Liam kept his voice low, but it was full of emotion, and he couldn't imagine that he looked very impressive right now, standing before the prince, dripping wet and about to cry. "What I need so badly is  _ you _ , Theo."

"Liam, don't do this," Theo warned. 

"No!" Liam threw his hands up in the air. "No. You said to say what I needed to say, and dammit, I don't care if you don't want to hear it. You have to, because you," he advanced on Theo, poking him in the chest with his index finger so hard that Theo stumbled backwards. "You did this to me."

"I didn't do anything to you."

"You didn't do anything to me? Theo, are you fucking kidding me?" Liam took another step towards him, looking him dead in those confusingly gorgeous grey eyes. "You did _ everything _ to me. You built me up, and then you tore me apart. You knew what I'd been through. You knew that I was insecure. You knew that I had abandonment issues. I may not have said as much out loud, but you know me, Theo, you know me better than maybe anyone ever, because you made me let you in in ways I never wanted to." 

Liam wanted to curse the lump rising in his throat. He didn't want to cry, he didn't want to give Theo the satisfaction. 

"Liam,  _ please _ ." There was a tone in Theo's voice that Liam had never heard before, but it didn't give him pause. He had gotten started, and he couldn't stop. If these were going to be the last things that he ever said to Theo, he had to make them count.

"No." Liam shook his head, water droplets flying everywhere. "No, you said I got to say my piece, and I'm fucking saying it." He took a deep breath, trying to keep his tears back. "I spent years building up walls to make sure that I never got hurt again, and you broke every single one of them down. I let you into _ every  _ part of me, and the worst part is, you made me fall in love with you, and then you walked away."

Theo stood there, staring at Liam, that unreadable expression still on his face.

"Is that all?" Theo asked, his tone icy. Stoic. 

"Is that all?" Liam frowned. "Theo, it's _ everything _ ."

"Alright." Theo nodded. "Then go."

"Fine." Liam folded his own arms across his chest, attempting to stare Theo down. "As soon as you tell me that you don't love me.”


	23. Chapter Twenty-Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theo considers Liam's ultimatum, and works to convince Liam to go back home, while Liam tries to figure out what all of this means for his future.

"What?" Something in Theo's voice threatened to break. His tone was softer, less icy, and it was clear he was thrown by Liam's demand. 

"Tell me that you don't love me," Liam challenged. "Say it to my face. Come on, if you really don't love me, it should be easy to say, right?"

"Go back to America, Liam."

"Tell me that you don't love me."

"Go  _ home _ , Liam!"

"Tell me you don't love me, tell me you don't love me, tell me-"

"Jesus, Liam, do you ever just shut up?"

"No." Liam shook his head. "Tell me that you don't love me, and I’ll go. Tell me that you don't love me, come on. Say it to my face. Tell me that you don't love me."

"I  _ can't _ ." Theo's voice broke as he said those words, and he looked away from Liam. 

"Then tell me that you  _ do _ ."

Theo gulped, and Liam was mesmerized by the movement of the prince's Adam's apple. 

"Please, Liam," he said, tears threatening to break forth. "Please don't make me do this."

"Why not?" Liam asked. "Why can't you just tell me what you're feeling? I know that you're feeling it!"

"Because if I say it, it's real," Theo said. 

"It's way too late for that, Theo! It’s  _ already  _ real," Liam insisted. "Whether you say it out loud or not, this?" He gestured between them. "This is real. This is the most real thing I have ever felt in my life." He paused. "Things that aren't real don't hurt this bad."

Theo sighed again, though this time it was shaky, ragged. 

"If I say it, then I can't pretend I never did, and this? Us? You know that this doesn't work out. You're the First Son of the United States, and even if you weren't, I'm the Prince of England."

"Do I make you happy?  _ Did _ I make you happy?"

"Yes, Liam," Theo replied, his eyes locked on the ground, his voice barely a whisper. "You made me very happy."

"So isn't that worth something? Don't you get to be happy? Don't you get to at least try?"

"No." Theo shook his head. "I was never born to be happy, nor I was bred to be. My place is here, and my duty is my country, not myself."

"Why can't you have both?" Liam asked. 

"It just doesn't work that way."

"Why not?" Liam badgered. 

"For the same reason Edward the second married Queen Isabella. For the same reason James the first married Anne of Denmark. What we want isn't up to us. What we want doesn't matter."

"What about what you  _ need _ ?"

"What I need," Theo said softly. "Is to be the prince that I promised my grandmother I would be."

"Is that what you need, or what she needs?

"It doesn't matter, Liam. It's the same thing."

"It isn't!" Liam argued. "It isn't the same fucking thing. You are your own person, your own man. I have seen so  _ much _ of you in the last year, and you can't...you can't leave things like this. You can't leave it with me, soaking wet in your bedroom while you tell me you can't be happy because it's not your fucking birthright."

"Well how can I leave it, Liam?" Theo said. "Because you know as well as I that there's no good outcome here. You know as well as I do that we don't ride off into the sunset together, so how do we leave it?"

"I..." Liam reached up, using the rainwater in his hair to slick it back, out of his face so he could see Theo clearly. "Like this." 

Liam grabbed Theo by his stupid, comfortable oversized sweater, and pushed him up against the wall. He studied Theo's eyes for a moment, giving the prince a chance to push him off if he wanted to, before leaning in, pressing his lips against Theo's in a desperate, needy kiss. 

Theo reached up, tearing the wet clothes off of Liam, freeing himself of his own as they battled for control up and down the wall of Theo's bedroom. 

"Get on the bed," Liam breathed. 

Theo obeyed, and Liam climbed on top of him. He was still cold from the rain water, but Theo's touch was hot, and as they found their rhythm, bare skin on bare skin, Liam slowed down. 

If this was going to be the last time, he wanted to memorize _ everything _ .

Liam kissed Theo with everything that he had, his hands running over every possible part of Theo's body. His fingertips, his palms took in as much as they could, and Liam's lips took in the rest. When he moved inside of Theo, he didn't fuck him, he made love to him. Liam gazed down into Theo's eyes, not saying anything out loud, and somehow, at the same time, saying  _ everything _ .

He urged himself to record in his mind the gasps that Theo let out, the words he muttered in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, and god knows what other languages. He willed himself not to close his eyes, not to miss any of it, not even for a second, because if this was never going to happen again, if he was never going to have  _ Theo _ again, at least he could say goodbye with everything he had. 

When they fell apart, both fucked out, boneless, and exhausted, no words were exchanged. Theo turned out the light, and Liam reached for him in the bed, putting his arms around him. He pressed a kiss to Theo's bare shoulder, and allowed sleep to claim him. There was so much that he had come here to say, and whether he had said it verbally or physically, it was all out there now. And the rest? 

The rest was up to Theo, and Liam knew that there was nothing more he could do.

***  
  
When Liam woke several hours later, he was alone. Again. 

Sunlight was streaming through the window, and the clock on the bedside table told him that it was past 11 in the morning. He reached over to feel the other side of the bed, to see if maybe Theo was just in the bathroom, but it was cold. 

Liam closed his eyes and rolled onto Theo's pillow, breathing in his scent. He knew that this might be the last time he ever got the chance, and he didn't want to waste it. 

After several minutes just lying in bed, trying to cling to the feeling of Theo's body in his arms, he got up and pulled his boxers on. He looked around the room, taking in the clinical feel of the space. 

He hated it. 

This room wasn't Theo, this wasn't the room of the man that he loved, and a part of it made him sick that Theo had to live his life like this, that even in his own room, nothing felt like him. 

Nothing except that old writing desk. 

Slowly, cautiously, Liam walked over to it. He ran his fingers over the wood. It was old, poorly treated, and marred with rings, likely from mugs of tea. The ink blotter was covered in stains, and several notebooks were stacked in one corner. In another, there were several pens in a mug. Liam picked up the black mug, inspecting the white, almost Elven script.  _ "Home is now behind you. The world is ahead." _

He smiled to himself as he traced his fingers over the words and set it down. Damn Theo, and his adorable _ Lord of the Rings _ obsession. 

He knew that he shouldn't, he knew better, but he reached down, opening the first drawer. Inside of it were a few more notebooks, and scraps of paper with notes on them, some in Theo's handwriting, others not. 

When he opened the second drawer, however, he felt his heart catch in his chest. The very first thing inside of it was a copy of _ Le Monde _ . He lifted it out, tracing his fingers over the words that he couldn't even read, but even without looking at the date on it, he knew that it was from the youth summit in Paris. Maybe he didn't know the meaning, but he could still hear Theo's French in his head. He could remember vividly the way that he had drifted off, his head resting against Theo's chest while the Prince read the article to him. Liam gulped back that pesky lump in his throat, trying to push it away. He knew that he was making this worse for himself. He knew that waking up alone was a bad sign, and he was tired of it. He woke up without Theo almost every morning, even the ones where they had fallen asleep together, but that didn't mean that he was used to it. 

He didn't think that he would ever get used to it, even with this likely being the end of everything they had. After all, how long did it take to get over something that had changed you so completely?

With a long sigh, Liam reached to put the newspaper back, but as he did so, his eye caught sight of the next thing in the drawer. It was a piece of cheap cardboard, carefully cut unmistakably from a box of  _ Cornetto's _ . There, taped to the front of it, was Liam's handwritten label of  **DRUMSTICKS** .

Liam had forgotten all about that, how he had covered the label before he had left England after his scheduled, Instagrammable, trip. Theo had never mentioned it, and at the time, Liam had assumed that he had never seen the box, that he had never learned of the joke label that Liam had left, but there it was. Rather than put the newspaper back, he lifted the cardboard out to see what else was under it. Below were...little things. The playbill from the production of  _ MacBeth  _ that they hadn't seen the end of rested on top of a take away menu from the café in Paris where Liam had had his first  _ real _ croissant. 

Liam pushed those things aside, looking deeper. He found the itinerary for the Charity Polo Match from Greenwich, the VIP bracelet from the gala in Berlin. He went deeper still and found the invitation to his own graduation luncheon, a single paper of stationary from the hotel room where Stiles had caught them, and the sunglasses that Liam recognized as the ones Theo had worn at the lake house. Not designer, but cheap, likely purchased at a gas station or somewhere between the airport and the lake itself. At the very bottom, he found a cocktail napkin. Midnight blue with gold edging. Unmistakable as one of the napkins chosen very carefully by Mason from their New Year's Eve party. He lifted the napkin and traced his fingers along the edges of it. 

This drawer was full of little things, little trinkets of all places that they had been, but neither of them could say "we were here." Theo had thought to take something, and he had kept them all. There may not have been a photo of Liam anywhere in this room, or anything to suggest that the prince cared for him at all, but this drawer? This drawer was full of him. 

This drawer was full of  _ them _ .   
  
"What are you doing?"

Liam was pulled from his investigation by a familiar voice, and he turned to see Theo standing in the doorway, a mug of tea in each hand. 

"I'm sorry," Liam said quickly. "I didn't, I shouldn't have..." he trailed off, his brow furrowing. "You left me. I woke up alone. Again. Where  _ were _ you?"

"I'm sorry about that," Theo said. "I had to get out, clear my head, go for a run. I honestly planned to be back before you awoke, but I ran into Tara. Apparently, she didn't know you were here, so I had no excuse to brush her off, and she wanted to talk."

Theo moved, sitting down on the bed and placing the mugs on the bedside table. 

Liam could feel his heart hammering in his chest. He knew that Theo hadn't promised anything last night. He hadn't even really told Liam that he loved him, not directly. 

"And?" Liam asked. 

He didn't want Theo to tell him that this was it. He didn't want last night to have been their final time together. He wasn't ready to say goodbye to the prince, but he also knew that he may not have a choice. He had done everything that he could, and it was either enough, or it wasn't. 

"And she was talking about her upcoming wedding to Philip. She was talking about titles, and land holdings, and politics, and the entire time, I couldn't help but think about how clinical the whole thing was. We're not close, not really - me and Tara, but I couldn't help myself. I asked her if she loved him, and she looked at me like I was crazy, Liam. Absolutely insane."

Liam didn't say anything. He took one of the mugs of tea and sipped at it.

"Did she say anything?" Liam asked finally.

"She did." Theo sighed. "She said that he was a good man, from a good family. She said he was good enough, Liam. She didn't say that she loved him, or even that she liked him at all. She said that he was 'good enough', and that...that is what I have to look forward to." He took a sip of his own tea, looking Liam right in the eye. "I'll eventually be matched with a good woman from a good family, who they deem 'good enough' for me, and..." he sighed. "That may be enough for Tara, and before I met you, before I fell in love with you, it may have been enough for me, too. But it's not anymore, Liam."

Theo set his mug down, and turned to face Liam, looking right into his eyes. 

"There has been a lifetime of me pushing my own wants and desires down, hiding who I am behind closed doors, not just from the world, but from my family as well. Liam, the consequences for us are huge, and I still don't think that we can work out," he said softly. "But you are the first person that has ever made me feel like I  _ deserved _ to be happy, and now that I've had a taste of that, I don't think that I can let it go."

Liam reached out, taking Theo's hand in his own. 

"So don't, Theo. Don't let me go."

Theo brought their hands up, kissing Liam's palm. 

"I may have to at some point," Theo said softly. "But I don't have to right now, and..." he sighed. "I need to apologize, Liam. For running away from you at the lake."

"Yeah." Liam nodded. "You do."

"Wow, you're really not going to let me off the hook here, are you?"

"Of course not." Liam smiled. "Have you met me?"

"Both fortunately, and unfortunately, yes."

"Well," Liam settled in, taking another sip from his tea mug. "I'm listening."

"I'm so sorry, Liam. You were right when you called me out earlier. I did know about your abandonment problems, or at the very least, I suspected them. But I have been in love with you for a long time, Liam, and I've had the feeling that you were...on your way there with me for some time now, but that night at the lake, lying on the dock, looking up at the stars? There was a tone in your voice, a look in your eyes, and I let myself believe for the first time that you might actually say those three words out loud, and I couldn't...I couldn't hear them. I knew that if I did, that if you told me that you loved me, there was nothing left holding me back from loving you for the rest of my life, and I couldn't have that. If I opened myself up to that, how was I ever supposed to go back? But what you said last night, or rather, very early this morning, you were right again. Whether said or unsaid, this is already real. I already love you, I have loved you for an infuriatingly long time, and pretending that we're just friends with benefits won't change that."

"No." Liam shook his head. "It won't."

"I don't want to be like your father, Liam. I don't want to be like Scott. I don't want to be another person that you trusted who betrayed you."

"You broke me a little," Liam admitted. 

"I know." Theo gulped. "I knew when I left you sleeping that I would, but I let myself think it was for the best. I knew when I saw your email-"

"You read it?" Liam asked. 

"I tried so hard not to. I tried not to read any of your messages, or listen to your voicemails, but I could never fully stop myself in the end. I tortured myself with them, and when I read that email...I don't think I realized just how much I was hurting you. I don't even think I realized it until you showed up here. I had myself convinced that _ I _ was the more invested party, and that I would hurt myself in cutting us off, but that you would be fine."

"I am very much  _ not  _ fine, Theo," Liam said.

"Yes," Theo said. "I realized that when I heard you screaming bloody murder at the palace window at an ungodly hour."

"I had to," Liam insisted. "You wouldn't hear me any other way."

"No," Theo sighed. "I wouldn't."

"But you love me," Liam said. 

"I do." Theo nodded. 

"And I love you."

Theo smiled, though it was a tired smile. 

"So what happens now?"

"I don't know," Theo admitted. "You call your team, and see if you can stay another day, and we don't leave this bed for hours and hours."

"That...is a good place to start. One problem, though." Liam winced. "I kind of don't have my phone."

"You traveled all the way across the world without your phone?"

"I...went a little crazy yesterday. I texted Scott, and I sent that email to you, and I smashed my phone."

"God, you're volatile." Theo sighed. "I'm sorry that I drove you to that."

"You should be," he said. "Um, maybe Derek can call Stiles? Explain everything? And Boyd and Erica are...somewhere." Liam frowned. He had totally forgotten about his security in all of this mess. 

"I'll call Derek," Theo confirmed. "Have him figure it all out, but you'll stay?" He smiled. "One more day?"

"I would stay forever, if you asked."

Theo's smile was wan as he gazed into Liam's eyes. 

"I wish the people in this palace were ready for that."

"I wish the world were."

"Me too." Theo reached out, taking Liam's tea mug and setting it aside as he pulled Liam into his arms. 

"I'm not ready to lose you," Liam whispered, burying his face in Theo's neck. 

"You're not losing me," Theo said softly. "I lost my way temporarily, but you've brought me back."

"You know that this could get really bad, right?" Liam said softly. "We can do our best to keep it quiet, but..."

"I know." Theo nodded. "And I know that it could be bad for me, and for your mother, and if it's too much-"

"Oh, no, you're mistaking me," he said. "I'm in. I am all in. I think I've been all in with you for a long ass time."

"Really?" Theo asked. 

"Remember when you told me about your mother, and we were talking about hills to die on? How your father was hers?"

"Yes..."

"You're mine." Liam pulled back just slightly, gazing into Theo's eyes. "It took me awhile to figure it out, but you're my hill, Theo, and I'm ready to die on it."

"Well." Theo gazed at him. "I suppose you're mine as well."

"Oh, you suppose?" Liam asked with a smile. 

"I suppose. I know. I have  _ known _ ," Theo said, leaning in to capture Liam's lips. "I just didn't want to admit it."

"Admit it. This is happening."

"Yes." Theo smiled, pressing his forehead against Liam's. "Yes it is." The prince let out a sigh before speaking again. "We could make history for this."

"True." Liam smiled. "Good thing I happen to like history, then."

"You are insufferable."

"I'm _ irresistible _ ."

"Yes," Theo said, pressing a kiss to Liam's forehead. "You certainly are."


	24. Chapter Twenty-Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theo takes Liam to a favorite place, and shares with him insight on what he has been feeling for a long time. The two young men squeeze every last moment together that they can before Liam has to return to the United States, and face the next steps in their ever-changing relationship.

"This is crazy. I have done a million crazy things in my life, but this is, by far, the craziest one." 

"Well, it's not something I do often, but there is something that I want to show you."

It was close to 2 in the morning, and sneaking out of the palace without any security? Honestly, Liam was surprised that Theo had even suggested it, let alone been willing to go through with it. At the same time, though, walking through Hyde Park, just the two of them, was exhilarating. 

Of course, they couldn't hold hands, just in case someone did happen to see them, but just being together, out in the fresh air, only a few inches away from each other as they walked briskly towards...something was nice. 

Especially when you compared to how things had been at this time 24 hours ago.

"It's a beautiful night," Liam said. 

"That it is." 

"Are you going to tell me where it is we are going?"

"Will you just be patient and let me surprise you?"

"Patience is a virtue that I do not really possess," Liam admitted. 

"You don't say," Theo replied teasingly. 

"You like that about me."

"It does concern me when you go quiet," Theo admitted. "Thankfully, I don't seem to have to worry about that now."

"For the record," Liam said. "It concerns me when you go quiet, too."

"I'm sorry about that." Theo sighed as they turned out of the park and onto the dimly lit street. In the light, Liam could see the look of concern on Theo's face. 

"Hey, no," Liam shook his head. "It's okay. We sorted it out, and we're here now. I have to leave in just a few hours, so let's not go down that road, okay?"

"Alright." Theo nodded. "I do wish to make you happy, though," he said.

"You do." Liam wanted to reach out, take the other man's hand. "You will."

They talked quietly, not wanting to draw any attention to themselves, until Theo stopped at a large building. 

"Wait, no way. Is this-"

"Westminster Abbey, yes." Theo smiled. 

"We're going to break into Westminster Abbey?" Liam's eyes widened. 

"Well, not exactly," he said. 

"Oh god." Liam gulped as a guard approached them. "We're going to be in so much trouble."

"Would you relax?" Theo shoved him playfully, and approached the guard. "Charlie, hello, how are you this morning?"

"Good, and yourself?" The guard said. 

"Fantastic." Theo pulled a wad of cash from his pocket and passed it over to the guard.

"One hour," Charlie said. 

"More than enough." He winked at the man. "We'd like privacy?"

"Oh god." Liam's eyes widened. "We are  _ not  _ doing it in Westminster Abbey!"

"No, my god, Liam, is that all you think about? We most certainly are _ not _ going to do it Westminster Abbey, just...shut up. Come with me."

Liam did as he was told, not that he had much of a choice. Theo grabbed him by the wrist, practically dragging him into the abbey. 

Liam had never been inside, and he wanted to look around, but Theo seemed determined. He was pulling Liam in a specific direction, and Liam did not want to get in the way of Theo when he was this determined. 

"Here we are," Theo said. 

"...Are we in a tomb?" Liam asked. "You brought me to a fucking tomb?"

"No, well...yes, I did." Theo sighed. "Just...look. It's the effigy for King James I."

"Oh." Liam studied it. He didn't really get any of this. When he died - hopefully a long time from now - he wanted to be cremated, returned to the earth, but this was...ornate as shit, and gaudy as hell. He didn't say that, though. Theo had brought him here for a reason and he didn't want to be a shit head. 

"And just there," he said, pointing to a tomb flanking it. "Villiers."

"Oh no way." Liam gulped, walking over to it. "What does it say?" he asked, attempting to read an inscription on the tomb. 

"It describes him as 'the riddle of the world,'" Theo explained.

"Well, that is confusing. What does it mean?"

"No one knows for sure," Theo admitted. He walked over, putting his arm around Liam as he studied it. 

"They're buried next to each other?"

"Well, the effigies. I'm not certain where the bodies are. I'm afraid to ask, to be honest."

"That is super fucking fair." Liam looked up at him. "Why did you bring me here?"

"I've come here before," he said softly. "To remind myself that I can do what they did." He gestured between both effigies. "Buried with wives, with women that they may or may not have loved. They had each other, but they had wives as well. I used to tell myself that if they could do it, I could do it."

"That is very, very depressing, babe," Liam said. 

"It is." Theo sighed. "But I don't want to be like King James, Liam," he said. "I don't want you to be my Villiers."

"Yeah," Liam wrinkled his nose. "The more I learn about them, the more I don't want that, either."

"King James was a hypocrite. He may have had his George, but he also demanded a hefty punishment for sodomy. I don't know if he was afraid of who he was, or if it was just a power trip. Possibly both, or possibly something else entirely," Theo said. "But either way, I don't want to be like him. I don't want my effigy to be merely flanked by the man I loved while I’m buried next to some noblewoman that my family chose to make a princess.” He paused, looking at Liam with something akin to hurt in his eyes. “And I don't want your effigy to erase you as an unanswered riddle."

"Theo, that was like, a million years ago. We're not them." He bit his lip, unable to help but think, just a little, about what Theo was implying for their future by mentioning their effigies in the same thought.

"I know we're not," Theo said. "But parts of me have behaved very archaically when it comes to you, and I just...I wanted to come here with you, and see this all in a different way. I didn't want to look at it as proof that I could be like James I, marry a woman, stay silent about who I am. Not anymore, not the way that I used to." He pulled Liam close to him. "I wanted to come here and look at this as a reminder of what  _ not _ to become. The way that things are important to someone can change while still remaining important, Liam. Sometimes I have trouble believing that, and I wanted to see it for myself. I wanted to share it with you."

"I don't think that I totally understand what you're feeling right now," Liam admitted. "But I am really, really glad that you brought me here."

"I naturally so love your person, and adore all your other parts," Theo said softly. 

"What?" Liam asked. 

"James to Villiers," he said. "He wrote that to him.

"Eh." Liam shrugged. "You've written me much better."

"Have I?" Theo asked, amused. 

"I had to go back to England. I didn't want to wake you, you looked so peaceful sleeping. Last night was a revelation. A la prochaine, mon trésor." Liam recited the note, grinning. 

"God," Theo laughed. "Your French is abysmal."

"Teach me?" He asked, head tilted to the side. 

"Bien sûr," Theo whispered, leaning down to kiss Liam softly. "Of course, mon trésor."

"You know," Liam said. "There is maybe one French thing I'm pretty good at..."

"I'm afraid of where this is going..."

Liam grinned, and pulled Theo into a kiss, opening his mouth to allow Theo's tongue entrance, and slipping his own into Theo's mouth. 

"I am a true master of the French kiss," Liam said with a grin as he pulled back. 

"You are an absolute wastrel."

"I have no idea what that means."

"Embrasse moi," Theo said. 

"I...also have no idea what that means."

"Kiss me, you idiot."

Liam didn't have to be told twice. He pulled Theo into another deep kiss. It should have been weird, he thought, making out in this tomb, with King James I and his wife on one side, and George Villiers and  _ his _ wife on the other, but the world had a strange habit of melting away completely when he kissed Theo, and tonight was no exception. 

"We should go," Theo said, his breath heavy as they pulled away. 

"We should." Liam nodded. "We have a few hours left, and I want to spend them in your giant bed."

"It really is excessive, isn't it."

"Mmm." Liam smiled, taking Theo's hand, squeezing it once before letting it go. "It's horrific, and I want you on every inch of it."

"You are diabolical."

"Oh," Liam grinned. "You have no idea."

***

In between Liam's villainy, and Theo's compliance with it, a few hours of sleep were managed. Liam woke to an alarm going off, glad to find that his body was still tangled around that of the Prince's. 

"Ugh, turn it off," Liam groaned. 

"I can't." Theo sighed, reaching for his phone. "Or I can, but we still have to get up."

"Ugh, why?" Liam let out a long suffering sigh, and pulled a pillow over his head. 

"Because you have a flight to catch."

"Can't," Liam said. "I'm too tired. Some insane idiot dragged me to a tomb in the middle of the night."

"Payback, for the absolute beast that showed up, screaming at my bedroom window in the middle of the night," Theo challenged. 

"You deserved that," Liam said, sitting up, his hair sticking out at every angle. 

"Possibly."

"Definitely."

"Do you want to spend the last bit of time we have together today arguing?"

"Um, yeah, yes." Liam nodded. "Of course I do. That's how we work. I insult you, you insult me, we argue, you slam me up against a wall, I overpower you and slam  _ you _ up against a wall, lather, rinse, repeat- oof!" 

Liam was knocked from his train of thought by Theo tackling him, and suddenly, he was pinned to the mattress, the prince on top of him. 

"How's this?"

"Yeah, that...that works, too."

Theo leaned down, holding Liam's wrists firm on the mattress as he kissed him deeply. 

"Oh my god," Liam groaned as Theo kissed his jaw, and down his throat, to his collarbone. "I don't want to go."

"I don't want you to go," Theo admitted between kisses. 

"Isn't there some sort of royal dungeon you could throw me in or something?" Liam gasped, his eyes closed, body arching up against Theo's on the bed. 

"As fantastic as I'm sure you'd look chained to a St. Andrew's Cross, I'm fairly certain that holding the First Son of the United States hostage violates many, many international agreements and treaties."

"Right..." Liam looked at him. "We're going to come back to that St. Andrew's Cross thing, because that was way too specific to be off the cuff." Liam snorted, laughing at his own accidental joke about cuffs.

"Shut up," Theo said, though his ears were turning a shade of pink that Liam found very becoming. 

"I have a feeling you'd enjoy making me," Liam teased. "Got a ball gag to go with that St. Andrew's Cross fantasy?"

"I could have you murdered for talking to a member of the royal family that way," Theo said. He trailed kisses down Liam's chest, stopping to bite down on his hip. 

"God," Liam groaned. "At the rate you're going, you're not gonna have to. You're doing a fantastic job of killing me all on your own."

"You're doing quite the number on me yourself," Theo admitted. 

"Well, that is generally the idea. You know, mutually assured destruction."

"What on earth are you talking about?" Theo asked, lifting his head to look at Liam. 

"Nothing, absolutely nothing. I cannot be held responsible for anything that I say when your mouth is that close to my dick."

"Fair enough." Theo laughed, and dipped his head back down, kissing Liam's hip where he had bitten it. 

They didn't have time for everything they wanted to do, but the two young men ended up in Theo's shower, washing the remains of their morning romp from each other’s bodies. 

"I meant it, though. Torture devices, bondage gear, and sarcasm aside, I don't want to leave you. I don’t want to go home."

"I know." Theo leaned down, cupping Liam's face in his hand. "I don't want you to, either, but you have to, and I _ will _ see you again soon."

"I swear to god, Theo, if you try to run away from me one more time, I will cause an international incident so big that the monarchy won't be  _ able _ to cover it up."

"Is that a threat?" Theo asked. 

"Yes." Liam nodded. 

"I hate how much I like it when you threaten me."

"I love how much you hate how much you like it when I threaten you."

"...I will never fully understand you," Theo said. "We could spend an eternity together, and I don't think that all of you would ever make sense to me."

"Good," Liam smiled. "I like it that way. Keeping you on your toes keeps you interested."

"Oh, Liam," Theo said. "I am never going to lose interest in you."

He put his arms around Liam's waist and drew him in closer, being careful to make sure neither of them slipped on the wet tile as they kissed passionately. 

***

"God," Theo sighed as they stepped out of the car at the royal airstrip. "I'm starting to hate this place."

"Why?"

"Because I don't like leaving you here," Theo admitted. "The last time we were here together, we had just begun to get along. You grabbed my phone right out of my hands."

"I remember." Liam laughed. "Derek looked ready to pounce."

"I  _ was  _ ready to pounce," Derek stated, getting out of the car after him. "I still am. You have caused quite the disturbance this weekend."

"Let it go, Derek," Theo said. "All's well that ends well."

"This has not ended at all," Derek reminded him. 

"Can you just..." Theo sighed. "For like five minutes, can you just fuck off so we can say goodbye?"

"Fine." Derek let out a heavy sigh, but turned away, going to speak with Boyd and Erica. 

"This isn't a goodbye," Liam said to Theo. "This is see you later, because if you-"

"I know, I know," Theo said, putting his arms around Liam's neck and pulling him in close. "If I ghost you again, international incident, blah, blah, blah..."

"Now you're getting it." Liam grinned, leaning up to kiss Theo on the lips.

"I am, but I want you to understand that I'm very serious about you. About us," he said.

"No, Theo, I know you are. I'm just teasing. Have I been thrilled by the amount of times I've fallen asleep next to you, and woken up alone? No. But we've talked. I understand you better now. I believe you. We've communicated. I'm not worried."

"Still, I would feel better about everything if you would take this." 

Liam watched as Theo reached down to his hand, pulling off the signet ring that he always wore on his pinky finger. 

"Oh, no, oh my god, Theo, you can’t give that to me."

"I can, actually," Theo said. "It's mine to give, and besides, I'm not giving it to you, per se. I just need you to hold on to it for me, so that you understand that I'm coming back for it. That I'm coming back for  _ you _ ."

"How are you going to explain that to everyone? To your grandmother?" Liam asked, looking up at Theo in shock. 

"That is my problem, Liam," Theo said. "And not yours."

"I'm starting to think that our problems are more connected," Liam said with a smile. 

"Regardless," Theo said, pressing the ring into Liam's hand. "Take it. Keep it somewhere safe."

"I will." Liam smiled. "I promise." He tilted his chin up, kissing Theo softly. 

"Alright, time's up," Derek said, clearing his throat to interrupt their kiss. "Your plane is ready, Liam, to take you back from whence you came."

"You say that like you're banishing me for the greater good."

Derek grinned - something that Liam truly wasn't sure he had ever seen before. 

"Who's to say that's not exactly what's happening here?"

"What?" Liam turned to Theo. "Are you just gonna let him talk to me like that?"

"Yes." Theo grinned, a soft, adorable chuckle escaping his throat. "I most certainly am."

"You devil!"

"Hey, now, you are no angel yourself." 

Liam leaned back into Theo's arms, pressing a kiss to his lips. 

"I love you."

Theo reached up, pushing some of Liam's hair back from his face. 

"I love you, too." He smiled down at the First Son, and then, sadly, released Liam from his arms. 

"I'll text you as soon as I have a phone again," Liam promised. 

"You need to stop smashing them."

"You need to stop giving me reasons to," Liam challenged.

"Gladly." Theo leaned in, pressing a quick, gentle kiss to Liam’s forehead.

It was hard, boarding the plane, and having to watch Theo just stand there while Liam prepared to fly away, but he managed to do it. Once he was settled in on the plane chartered by Theo to take them back, he turned to Boyd and Erica. 

"I don't think I said it before." Liam bit his lip. "But for this trip, for everything you've done for me and for Theo since the beginning of this...for everything that I have asked you to do that goes against your training, and for every snarky comment that you  _ haven't  _ made about me for it...I just wanted to say thank you."

Erica smiled.

"You're welcome, Liam."

"It's not always easy," Boyd said, reaching out and taking Erica's hand, squeezing it gently. "But I've learned in the last couple years that true love is a battle worth fighting."

"What? Wait, oh my god, what the hell?" Liam looked at them. "You two?!"

"You're not the only one with a love life, you know," Erica said, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder. "Some people are just better at keeping it a secret than others."

"How is it possible that I didn't know about this?" Liam asked, utterly bewildered as their plane took off. 

"This may come as a shock to you," Boyd said. "But not everything is your business."

"You're right," Liam said, leaning back into his seat. "That  _ does _ come as a shock to me."

Erica's phone chimed, and she reached down, checking it. 

"Stiles has a new phone for you, and he'll be waiting with a car for us when we land," she said. She looked up at Liam, grinning as she pocketed her phone. "He also said that he's going to kill you for this stunt you pulled."

"You get some sick pleasure out of the knowledge that Stiles wants to maim and possibly murder me, don't you?" Liam asked. 

"Oh, very much so," Erica said with a grin. "Mostly because we know that he would never do it. He loves you too much."

"Yeah...he does, doesn't he." Liam grinned. 

Stiles may not have been thrilled with Liam right now, but Liam had a long flight to think about ways in which he could make it up to the other man...and ways in which he could thank Boyd and Erica for everything that they had done for him. 

Now that he wasn't so selfishly caught up in his own drama, he realized that he had a lot of people to thank for a great many things. 

Still, even knowing that he had to run some damage control, and other such things, all that he could think about as they flew away from London was the weight of the signet ring in his hand.

It wasn't a proposal, it wasn't an engagement ring, but it  _ was _ a promise. A promise from Theo to him, saying that he wouldn’t run away again. A promise that Theo believed that this was something worth fighting for, something that they could mutually work towards, and Liam wanted that. 

No, he  _ needed _ it.


	25. Chapter Twenty-Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Liam returns to the United States, Theo and Liam continue to navigate their relationship with their newly declared, deep feelings for one another. As the holidays come around, they figure out how to work themselves more and more into each other's lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to take a moment and give a huge thank you to everyone who has been reading. I'm not sure if I've been clear enough about this, but getting the comments from you when I post a chapter has really kept me going lately, through these incredibly difficult times, and I just...can't even say how much it means to me to have you lovely loyal readers. I am so glad that I wrote this story, and I'm so glad you've all come with me on this journey. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Home stretch is coming, and I'm going to miss y'all when it's over!! Y'all have been such a huge boost to my self esteem, and joy, when I could not have needed it more.
> 
> Love,  
> Skaboom

**From: princetheodore@kensingtonpalace.co.uk  
** **To: L**

**Mon Trésor,**

**I don't even know if you have landed yet, but I wanted to write to you so that you know how I am feeling. I have not stopped thinking of you since you left, and I wanted to make sure that you know, that you believe beyond a shadow of a doubt, how much I truly care about you, how much I love you.**

**Last night, after we returned from Westminster Abbey, you fell asleep in my arms, and I stayed awake. Not for hours, just a little while. I studied you, I thought about you, I thought about me, and I thought about your bravery. I thought about how, without you having the guts to come all the way to England to confront me, we wouldn't be together now, because I never could have been that brave.**

**I want to be, though. I am not saying that I can do this now, but one day, I want to be able to step forwards and tell the world that** **_this_ ** **is who I love. I want to be able to bring you forth and tell everyone how I feel for you. We talked about making history, and you said that you liked history, and wouldn't mind making it.**

**I'm afraid, Liam, but I don't think that I can let that stop me, at least not for the rest of my life. I'm not ready to come out today. I won't be ready to come out tomorrow, or maybe even this year, or next, but I do want to start making moves in that general direction, because I see you as my forever, Liam.**

**There hasn't been anyone in my life that I have wanted the way that I want you, and I already know that there never will be again.**

**I have run away from you for the last time. I am in this, my love. With you.**

**Yours,  
** **Theo**

**From: liam@dunbaradministration.com  
** **To: Theodore**

**Babe,**

**I can't even begin to describe how your letter, or I guess e-mail, made me feel, but I want you to know that I believe every word of it. I was devastated when you left me alone at the lake house, but after the last couple of days, I understand you better than I ever have before, and I understand myself better.**

**We are** **_supposed_ ** **to be together. We are** **_going_ ** **to be together, and I am so proud of you for, one day, wanting to come out. I don't think it's at all wrong for you to want to take your time, but whatever you decide, I'm here.**

**Maybe you could try your family first? Start with Tara? See how she reacts when you officially tell her, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you're gay? And you can mention me or not, but whatever you decide, I'm here.**

**I am all in with you, and I want you to know that I am going to keep you close to my heart at every turn.**

**Yours forever,  
** **Liam**

Attached to the e-mail was a picture of him, shirtless. The signet ring that Theo had given him was on a chain around his neck, resting against his slightly hairy chest, just above his heart. 

**From: princetheodore@kensingtonpalace.co.uk  
** **To: L**

**Mon Trésor,**

**That ring looks fantastic on you. I am not sure that I have ever seen anything as beautiful in my entire life, though fear not: I do know what a thirst trap is, and I am on to you.**

**On a more serious note, I am thinking about what you suggested - talking to Tara, I mean. I don't think that it's a bad idea at all. She is family, and she is rigid, but she is a good first step. I am nervous about it, but I am trying to quell that by trying not to hope. If I don't let myself think she might react positively, I won't be upset when it doesn't happen, and if it does...well, I will be pleasantly surprised. It may be a few days before I attempt it, though. I have a lot to think about, and you cloud my mind constantly.**

**Yours,  
** **Theo**

**From: liam@dunbaradministration.com**

**To: Theo  
** **Babe,**

**Whatever you decide to do, whenever you decide to do it. I am with you.**

**Now, on to this thirst trap thing? How could you accuse me of such a thing?! I would absolutely never, and you have** **_got_ ** **to know that! After all, I have already trapped you. Shockingly, I think I got a better reaction from that picture of me in a fucking Christmas Sweater than I did from this.**

**Also, I saw that photo spread of you lounging on some yacht in Australia, so really, who is trying to thirst trap who?**

**Yours forever,  
** **Liam**

**From: princetheodore@kensingtonpalace.co.uk** **  
** **To: L**

**Mon Trésor,**

**I will have you know that I was on vacation. No part of me was intending to "thirst trap" you.**

**This on the other hand...enjoy.**

**Yours,  
** **Theo**

Liam groaned as he opened the photo attached in the e-mail. It was a picture of Theo, shirtless, with a Cornetto raised to his mouth. He was giving the camera bedroom eyes, and his tongue was just poking out. 

**From: liam@dunbaradministration.com  
** **To: L**

**Are you cheating on me with an ice cream cone? I will** **_not_ ** **stand for that, and I think you know it. I deserve better! How dare you.**

**Love you anyways,  
** **Liam**

Time passed. Liam and Theo talked on the phone, they texted, they e-mailed, they saw each other whenever they could, and Liam? He always kept the signet ring close to his chest. 

**Thought I'd take a leaf out of your book this year, and actually dress up.**

On Halloween, Liam opened a texted image of Theo dressed as a vampire, and he couldn't help but smile. He remembered the year before, telling Theo that depriving the word of seeing him as such was wrong. 

Liam smiled, texting back a picture of himself as a werewolf. 

**_I went with classic wolf man this year. We could be a totally throwback monster movie pair!_ **

**One of these days, we'll wow the world with our couples costumes.**

**_I can't wait._ **

***

**_You know what's coming up? You're faaaavorite American holiday!_ **

**Oh god. Please tell me, love, that there will not be another turkey haunting you.**

**_Nope! My mom got that one sorted out, but I uh...was wondering if maybe you wanted to come._ **

**I often want to come, but I'm going to need you to be more specific.**

**_Okay, one, you are absolutely filthy and I have no idea how I spent so much time assuming that you were this pristine vanilla motherfucker. Two, for Thanksgiving. Would you like to come for Thanksgiving? It could look good for international relations, and I, for one, would love to have you at my Thanksgiving table._ **

**Oh. Your family is alright with this?**

**_Of course. You're my partner, Theo. Whether we've told that to the world or not, you should be there. And besides, Mason already invited Corey._ **

**I will make it work.**

**_Great. I can't wait to see you._ **

Liam smiled as he hung up his phone, sitting on the edge of his bed. He reached under his shirt and pulled out the chain, looking at the ring that was on it. He admired it, smiling. He didn't need tokens of affection from Theo to know that he was loved, but having a physical reminder of it against his skin at all times? It was perfect. 

Since Liam had basically stormed Kensington Palace, he and Theo had only seen each other a couple of times, and both of those had been fleeting - the two of them crossing paths at other events. They had been able to find a few hours together, but they hadn't been able to spend the night together, and even if it was just for one night, Liam was excited to have Theo in his bed again. 

***

"Alright, I must know," Theo said as they lay in bed together, Theo completely naked, and Liam wearing nothing but the chain and signet ring around his neck. "Last year, after everything with Sir Gobbles, were you able to eat the Thanksgiving Turkey at dinner?"

"Really?" Liam asked, brow furrowed. "We just had mind blowing sex, and you're thinking about Sir Gobbles?"

"I'm sorry!" Theo laughed. "But it's been on my mind!"

"I knew it! You're growing bored with me!"

"Oh my god." Theo laughed. "Once I've recovered from showing you how very much I am _ not  _ bored of you, I will show you again, but for the meantime, come on," he trailed his fingers down Liam's chest. "Tell me."

"No." Liam laughed. "I couldn't eat the turkey. I just saw Sir Gobbles staring at me, and I couldn't do it. Didn't have any problem this year, though."

"I noticed." Theo grinned. "You look absolutely sinful ripping into a turkey leg, by the way."

"I will add that to the list of things you find irresistible about me."

"You are insufferable."

"Yeah." Liam grinned. "But it's kind of why you love me, isn't it."

Theo leaned in, kissing him. "It is just one of the many reasons."

Liam let himself get lost in the kiss, wrapping his arms around Theo. The other man's body was familiar to him at this point, but that didn't mean he didn't enjoy exploring it. 

He held Theo close, enjoying the time that he had with him before he had to send him off the next morning with a kiss, and a promise to be in touch. 

***

"Okay, no, I mean, it's horrible, but it's definitely going to win." Liam grinned as he held up his creation. 

This year, none of the Christmas sweaters that he and Mason had found on the internet had felt good enough, so they had taken matters into their own hands. 

"I'm afraid to ask," Theo said from over the phone. 

"Oh, hold on, I'll show you." 

Liam set the sweater down on his bed carefully, and took a photo of it. He had hot glued plastic green garland all over it to look like the branches of a Christmas tree, and he had glued little bauble ornaments all around it. It was three dimensional, and it was atrocious. 

"Oh my god," Theo said with a laugh as he got the text. "That is the single worst thing I have ever seen in my life."

"Oh, you think that's bad?" Liam grinned. "You can open the present I sent you now."

"See, now I’m afraid," Theo said. 

"Do it." Liam grinned. "You'll like it. I promise."

"Fine..." 

Liam sat down, listening to the sounds of Theo carefully removing the wrapping from the gift. 

"Oh my god," Theo said. "This is absolutely awful!"

"Put it on! I want a picture!" Liam practically cackled with glee.

"Fine, hold on."

There was some rustling, and a click, and a few moments later, Liam received a picture of Theo in a patterned Christmas sweater with snowflakes, dragons, and "the one" ring all around it. The text on it read  _ Merry Christmas You Filthy Hobbitses _ .

"Oh, you look perfect!" Liam laughed. "That's amazing!"

"This is, hands down, the least dignified item of clothing I have ever owned in my life," Theo said. "And I love it very much."

"Did you see the other thing?" Liam asked. 

"Oh, I did not. Hold on."

Liam heard the sound of tissue paper rustling around in the bag. 

"The one ring, that's very clever Liam," Theo said. 

"Yeah, no, look closer. At the text."

"It's different," Theo said after a moment. 

"Yeah, it is." Liam grinned. "Look inside the ring for the translation."

"Alright." Theo paused. "'Theo, I will love you forever. Yours always, Liam.' Oh, Liam..." He smiled. "How did you even do this?"

"As it turns out," Liam said. "There is a website that will do it for you. You pick the ring, and the engraving in Elvish and English. You know what the coolest part is?"

"What?" Theo asked, awe close in his voice. 

"It's the same jewelry company that made the ring for the actual movies."

"Oh my god."

"Yeah." Liam grinned. He was pleased with the fact that Theo liked his gift. 

"I can't imagine how much this must have cost you."

"Well, I owed you a ring," Liam said with a smile. "I thought you'd like this one."

"Liam," Theo said softly. "I absolutely love it."

"Yeah?"

"Yes, of course. This is...I will show you. I will show you how much I love it when I'm there for New Year's. Liam, this is the most thoughtful gift anyone has ever given me. I love it very much."

"Good." Liam felt an immense joy in knowing that he had gotten something for Theo that the man loved. 

"It makes me feel a little bit shitty about my gift for you, actually."

"Should I open it?" Liam asked. He looked at the wrapped package sitting on his desk. 

"Yes, but now I'm embarrassed."

"That's because you're wearing a stupid Christmas sweater and you're not used to the sensation yet. Don't worry, you'll adjust. You're getting a new one of those bad boys every year."

"Oh god, is that what a future with you looks like?"

"You know it, babe. Now quit trying to sidetrack me. I'm opening my gift."

There was no noise on the other end of the line for a while, and Liam couldn't help but think that Theo was feeling anxious, self conscious about his gift, and he didn't want that. 

Liam put the phone on speaker and opened the package. He set the wrapping aside, and lifted the box, pushing back the tissue paper to reveal a gorgeous leather bound journal. Theo was the writer, and not him, but Liam wasn't going to complain!

"Theo, it's gorgeous."

"Did you open it?" Theo asked. 

"Yeah, the journal is beautiful," Liam smiled. 

"No, I mean...did you open the journal." There was something shaky, nervous in Theo's voice, and Liam was confused.

"Oh, no. Hold on." Liam opened the cover of the journal, smiling as he saw the first page. There, written in Theo's perfect cursive, were the words:

**Pour mon trésor.**

"For my treasure?" Liam asked. 

"Yes." Theo smiled. "Keep...keep going?"

"Alright."

Liam turned the page in the journal, and on one side of the book was a poem, written flawlessly on the lines, and on the other side, words in French.

"Theo?" Liam asked. "What...what is this?"

"Um, it's words," Theo said softly. "My words. About you. For you. Some of them are poems, some of them are just little thoughts that I jotted down on a piece of paper and crammed in my wallet, or desk drawer. I pulled them all together, every little thing I'd ever written about you, or us...and they're all in there. English on one side, and the translations into French on the other, or at least as best I could."

"You..." Liam gulped, a lump threatening to rise in his throat. "You did this? You wrote all of this for me? About me? And you?"

"Yes." Theo nodded. 

"How dare you?" Liam said, opening his mouth to continue speaking, but Theo got to it first.

"Oh god, it's...mortifying, isn't it. I am so sorry, Liam. I'll send you something better - a nice watch, or-"

"How dare you give me something like this when you're a million miles away, and I can't kiss you?" Liam finished. 

"Oh."

"Yeah, _ oh _ . Theo, this is..." Liam felt his heart racing. "No one has ever done something like this for me, I don't even know what to say."

"So...so you like it?" Theo asked. 

"I love it." Liam said. "There aren't words to describe how much I love it. I have never received a gift that I love more, and my stepdad gave me a car when I turned 16."

"Oh." Liam could hear the smile in Theo's voice...and something that sounded like relief?

"Theo, were you actually concerned that I wouldn't like it?" Liam asked. 

"Well, yes," Theo admitted. 

"Good lord, why?"

"I...it's very stupid."

"Tell me?"

"When I was 13, I gave my gran a poem for her birthday. I wrote it just for her, I worked on it very hard - my handwriting wasn't as perfect then as it is now, so I had someone help me with it, a calligrapher. I presented it to her, and the disappointment on her face when she opened it was horrific. She thought it would be something different, something better, I suppose. She said 'ah, I see. That's nice,' and pushed it aside. I found it in the garbage later. I never had the heart to ask her about it."

"Oh, Theo..." Liam gulped, an aching in his chest. 

"My words have never mattered to her, Liam. My words, my thoughts? None of it matters to her."

"It matters to me," Liam said, holding the journal close to his chest. "You wrote me a book of memories of me, of us," Liam breathed. "Nothing could ever be more precious to me, and I swear to you, this will  _ never _ wind up in the garbage."

"I know." Theo sighed. "Still, I was nervous. You are the first person to make me feel like my words, my writing matters, and even so, sharing it with you was scary. It  _ is _ scary."

"I can't wait to read every word," Liam said. "And when you're here for New Year's, you can read me the French."

"I would love that," Theo said. "I like it when you rest your head on my chest and let me read to you."

"Well, that makes two of us," Liam said with a smile. "You know, in some ways, the New Year's Eve party is kind of like our anniversary. At the very least, the anniversary of our first kiss."

"So it is."

"It's crazy to think that we've been on this roller coaster for a year together."

"Any desire to get off of it?"

"None whatsoever."

"Good, because I don't like the idea of you anywhere else but with me."

"I don't think that's ever going to happen, Theo. At this point...there is no one else I could ever see myself with. We're young, but you're it for me." He closed the journal, tracing his fingers over the leather binding. "You've got my heart, and I don't think you could give it back if you wanted to. It's all yours."

"Well, I suppose that's fair, considering you have mine as well."

"This thing we have? It's crazy, but it works, and it will work. We have hurdles still ahead of us, but we're gonna make it, Theo."

"I really hope that's true."

"It is." There was a determination in his voice. "Just because it won't be easy doesn't mean we can't do it."

"I know." Theo sighed. "Anyways, um, don't you have an ugly sweater Christmas Eve to get to?"

"I...could just skip it and talk to you..."

"Absolutely not. You love ugly sweater Christmas Eve, plus, you made that monstrosity. You have to wear it."

"Alright." Liam smiled. "Merry Christmas, Theo. I'll talk to you tomorrow, and I love you."

"I love you, too. Happy Christmas, Liam."

Liam hung up the phone, sighing as he gazed at the journal. Carefully, he set it on his bedside table, and pulled his sweater on over his head. He was filled with longing to read every word, but it would still be there, waiting for him when he got back from dinner. 

He was deeply in love with Theo, and he knew that a million things were going to come at them, but he knew that whatever those millions of things were, they would be able to tackle them together. Good things weren't always easy, but there was very little that Liam wouldn't do for Theo, and he could tell that his feelings were reciprocated. 

After all, even when they were worlds apart, he always had a piece of Theo close to him in the form of cool metal pressed against his skin. The ugly, ugly Christmas sweater was what he was showing everyone, but beneath that, Theo's signet ring, and the love that it represented was what  _ Liam _ felt.


	26. Chapter Twenty-Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been one year since the fateful New Year's Eve party where Theo first kissed Liam, and everything has changed. Amidst a raging party, Corey confides in Liam about his true feelings for Mason, and Liam and Theo reflect on how far their relationship has come...and how far it still has to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not gonna lie, I did...a lot of research about White House Ground trees for this chapter, so...enjoy. Lol.

“This is nice,” Liam said, reaching out and straightening Theo’s tie. Unlike last year, they were getting ready for the New Year’s Party together, and there was something so pleasant about that.

Theo had opted for a deep wine colored suit, complete with a vest and blazer. The black shirt and black shiny tie that he paired it with created a very dashing package. 

"It really is." Theo smiled at his boyfriend. "You look very handsome. That color really brings out your eyes."

He reached out, touching the sleeve of Liam's suit jacket. It was blue with black lapels, and matched his blue trousers perfectly. Underneath, he opted for a plain white shirt, and no tie. He was going for a bit more of a casual look this year, and he felt like he was pulling it off. Underneath the shirt, however, he still wore the chain with Theo's ring on it. 

"Yeah," Liam sighed. "Except you know what color this suit is?"

"Blue?" Theo asked, confused. 

" _ Yale _ blue, apparently. I found that out _ after  _ I bought it. How stupid is that?  _ Yale _ blue? That's so fucking pretentious!"

"Oh my god." Theo laughed. "Liam, it's just a color."

"It's a stupid color," Liam muttered. 

"Well, you look fantastic in it."

"Why  _ Yale _ blue?” Liam ignored Theo’s complement, bulldozing right through it to continue his rant. “Is there a  _ Georgetown _ blue? I don't think so! I mean, there is, but I don't think it's a suit color!"

"Okay..." Theo looked at Liam. "You're doing that thing, where you get irrationally mad about something very, very trivial, because something else is on your mind."

“You know me too well,” Liam said with a smile. “But I’m okay. I just get nervous sometimes, and having like, 300 or so people here for a fundraising gala is fun, but I really just wish it could be you and I. Well, and maybe Mason and Corey, but I mean, I’m not going to be able to kiss you at midnight, and that really fucking sucks.”   
  
“It does suck.” Theo leaned in, kissing him softly. “But when the party is over, I will kiss you all night long.”   
  
“You’d better.” Liam smiled.   
  
“Now come on.” Theo took his hand. “You look perfect, let’s go find Corey and Mason, make sure everything is set.”   
  
“Wait,” Liam smiled. “I need my turkey pin.”   
  
“You certainly do not.” Theo laughed.    
  
“It’s a part of my New Year’s attire now!”   
  
“You are an absolute joke of a human being sometimes.”   
  
“Yeah, but you love it.” Liam went over to his desk and brought the pin out, securing it to his lapel. “How do I look?”   
  
“Hot and idiotic. Both. At the same time.”   
  
“Perfect.” Liam tugged down the bottom of his suit jacket to straighten it. “Just what I was going for.”   
  
Theo just looked at him, a smile on his face.    
  
“See, no, you have to cut that shit out,” Liam said. “You can’t look at me like that in public.”   
  
“I know, I know. I’m just getting it out of my system now.”   
  
“You sap.” Liam leaned in, kissing Theo. 

"Don't tell anyone." Theo winked, and headed for the door. 

As expected, Mason and Corey were already in the ballroom overseeing the final preparations, and they looked fantastic. 

Mason was wearing a deep red suit with a pattern of black roses all over it. He had paired it with a black shirt, and deep red bowtie. Corey was dressed similarly, his own look an inverted version of Mason’s. His suit was black, covered in roses the color of Mason's suit, with a deep red shirt, and black bowtie. 

"You...match." Liam looked astounded. 

"Yeah." Corey smiled, leaning in, kissing Mason on the cheek. "My idea."

"There's no telling him 'no' once he gets an idea. Besides, I think we look pretty sharp," Mason added.

"You do, wow, I...you look amazing." Liam smiled.

Usually, the whole couples matching thing was stupid to Liam, but there was something impressive about the way that Mason and Corey had coordinated, and they both looked fucking incredible. With how richly dressed Corey, Mason, and Theo were, Liam almost felt underdressed in his blue suit jacket and trousers, but then he thought about what Theo said - about how it brought out his eyes, and all worry left him. 

  
Sure, he wanted to look good for the world, but the only person he wanted to _ impress _ was Theo. The way that the other man had looked at him when they were getting ready told him that he had already done that.    
  
Even if it was  _ Yale _ blue.

Liam knew that, with how much he was going to drink tonight, he had better keep a safe distance from Theo, or at least keep other people around. It was getting more and more difficult to keep his hands off the other man in public, and with champagne flowing through him, he was going to have to be more controlled about his actions, and he knew that.

The music got started, guests began arriving, and Liam was having a blast. Theo was a little looser this year, and dancing with the few people that he knew, and Liam? He had a circle of friends, and it felt good.

Midnight came and went with Liam kissing Hayden again, and Theo bestowing a very chaste kiss on the cheek of a young intern who had asked very politely for a midnight kiss from a prince. 

"Hey." Shortly after midnight, Corey half-stumbled into Liam, grabbing onto his arm. "We need to talk - or, sorry, that sounded really ominous and it's not. Booze, funny thing that. Anyways, can we talk?"

"Uh, yeah, sure, of course." Liam looked around the party to make sure that his group was taken care of, and wouldn’t miss him too much if he and Corey ducked out for a moment.

Mason was talking to some friends, and Theo was doing some version of salsa dancing with Hayden as  _ Despacito _ pumped through the speakers.

"Is there somewhere we can go so that we can actually hear each other?" Corey shouted over the music. 

"Yeah." Liam nodded, leading Corey out to the same patio where Theo had kissed Liam last year. He closed the door behind them, and went to go lean on the balcony, overlooking the snowy White House grounds. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just...I've been meaning to talk to you for awhile now, and I feel like things just keep getting in the way?"

"Oh." Liam wasn't sure that  _ that _ was a good thing. "Okay..."

"I just..." Corey sighed and lunged forwards, hugging Liam around the waist. "Thank you. I've known Theo for a really, really, really long time. I was there with him when he realized that he was gay, I was there with him when his dad died, and there for everything that came after - his mom pretty much disappearing, and his grandmother telling him basically pointe blank not to be himself, and I've been worrying about him for a long time now. The anti-depressants have kept him afloat, but that's not true happiness. That has always been evident, but with you? There's a joy to him, a loose-ness...a  _ Theo-ness _ to him that I haven't seen since we were kids, Liam. I honestly thought that guy was gone for good, but now he’s back."

"Oh." Liam gulped, patting Corey on the back. "I had no idea. I mean, I had some idea, but-"

"He loves you so much," Corey said. "And you are so good for him."

"He's good for me, too," Liam admitted. 

"Hush, we're not talking about you. We're talking about Theo," Corey said. 

"Right, sorry." Liam laughed. Corey was drunk - that much was clear, but Liam liked the words that were coming out of his mouth, so he let it happen. He had never talked to Corey much, even though they had been in the same place a lot, and booze fueled or not, it was nice. 

"He's writing again. You have made him feel like his words matter, Liam. He's happy, he's writing, and he's building up to something great. I hope you really are all in with him, Liam, because he is getting ready to put everything that he has in his life on the line for what he has with you."

Liam gulped. "I know. I'm all in, Corey. He makes me better. He evens me out and calms me down, and there is no one else on this planet that I have ever felt this way about. I will do whatever I have to to make sure that we make it, and that he ends up okay."

"Good." Corey smiled. "I never thought..." he reached up, raking a hand through his hair. "I really thought he was going to do it. I thought he was going to let his grandmother pick out a woman from a list of noble families. I thought that he would get down on one knee and ask someone he didn't love to be his wife. I thought that he was going to spend the rest of his life hiding who he was, and I hated that journey for him. I knew that it wouldn't make him happy, but even I couldn't make him feel like he deserved happiness. _ You _ make him feel that way. You've put something in front of him that he doesn't want to lose, and I can never thank you enough for giving him his spark back. He got...weird. After his dad died, he shut down, and you've brought him back."

It hurt, hearing that Theo had been suffering so much, but knowing that he had had something to do with Theo getting back to the man that he was supposed to be? That part felt good. 

"He's taught me so much about myself," Liam admitted. "I love him. There's no other way around it."

"Good, good." Corey nodded. "And if you hurt him..." There was a look in Corey's brown eyes that Liam couldn't quite read, but that he felt he understood. 

"If I hurt him," Liam said. "Find the most painful way possible to end me."

"Oh, I will." Corey smiled. 

"That it?" Liam asked. 

"Uh, no." Corey shook his head. "There's something else, something..." he reached out and grabbed Liam's sleeve, tugging him away from the door, back towards the corner where Theo had first kissed him. 

"Corey?"

"Here." Corey reached into his pocket. He pulled out a ring box and opened it, revealing a gorgeous brushed platinum band with princess cut amethyst stones set all around it.

"Oh my god." Liam's eyes widened. "You're gonna propose to Mason?!"

"Mhmm." Corey grinned. "Tomorrow, before I go home. I think. I mean, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. I don't want to do it if it will make him uncomfortable, and you know him better than anyone else."

"Oh, no, I think you should definitely do it," Liam smiled. "He's crazy in love with you."

"Yeah?" Corey looked almost nervous. 

"Yes, you idiot!" Liam rolled his eyes. "He's absolutely head over heels for you."

"I'm pretty crazy about him, too. No one's ever really...paid me the kind of attention that he does?"

"You're Corey Bryant," Liam said, confused. "You get a lot of attention."

"It's not the same." Corey sighed. "My parents didn't mean to have me, and once they did, they just sort of didn't care? I got into a habit of throwing their money at other people's problems, and the publicity was good for them, so they let it keep happening, and I liked the attention. Being a philanthropist, people liked me, they said nice things about me, but no one really ever  _ loved _ me the way that Mason does. I mean, they love what I do for charities or whatever, and the way I dress, and shit like that, but like, who I am deeper down? Nah. Not like Mason.”

"Oh wow." Liam gulped. He had had no idea about any of that. Corey had such a cool exterior, and he was so comfortable and confident about who he was. It had never occurred to Liam that there might have been something below the surface.

"So you think it's a good idea?" Corey asked. 

"I think it is a fantastic idea."

"And you think he'll like the ring?"

"Yes, Corey, it's gorgeous."

"He looks really good in purple, so I figured if it was something he was going to wear for the rest of his life..."

"It's perfect."

"Okay." Corey nodded, closed the ring box and tucked it back into his jacket pocket. "Thank you, Liam."

"Hey, any time," he said. "Put in a good word for me for Best Man?"

"As if there would be anyone else." Corey laughed. 

"Excuse me?"

The two young men were interrupted by a voice from the doorway. "May I cut in?"

Theo stood there, looking as impressive as ever.

"Yeah." Corey smiled. "I should go find my guy anyways." He snuck past the prince, closing the door behind him as he headed back into the party to find his hopefully soon to be fiancé. 

"Silly me," Theo said, walking over to where Liam was, still out of sight of the door. "I thought this was  _ our _ balcony."

"Oh, our balcony, huh?" Liam asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Yes." Theo smiled. "What were you two getting up to."

"He's going to propose to Mason," Liam grinned. 

"Ah, yes." Theo leaned against the wall, taking in Liam's appearance. "He's been talking about that for awhile now. I'm glad he's doing it."

"Me too. Those two belong together."

"They do." Theo studied Liam. "Do you think anyone will miss us? If we disappear from the party?"

"No." Liam shook his head. There are a zillion people in there, and besides, everyone is drunk off their asses, and relegated to the ballroom. The rest of the White House is off limits. Well, for them. Not to us, of course."

"Of course."

"Meet me outside in 10 minutes?"

"One last thing first." Theo leaned forwards, kissing Liam softly. He didn't hold the kiss for long, pulling back after only a couple of seconds. 

"That was a good last thing," Liam said with a nod. "See you in 10."

Liam disappeared back into the party, Theo following shortly after. 

Ten minutes later, the young men were making their way across the White House lawn together. 

"I have something to show you," Liam said, resisting the urge to take Theo by the hand, just in case eyes were on them. 

"Lead the way." Theo was pleasantly buzzed, and happy to follow Liam through the snow. 

"Here." Liam stopped in front of a fountain. Due to it being winter, the water wasn't running, and Theo didn't know what was so special about it. 

"It's a fountain," Theo said. 

"No, this." Liam gestured towards the tree just past the fountain. "It's a Japanese maple. I mean, the leaves are off, obviously, because winter, but when it's full, it's...you can hide under it. This is my favorite place in the White House, or, well, on the grounds. You know what I mean. I like to hide under that tree. To study, to read, to just...hide from Stiles."

"Mature," Theo said. 

"Shut up." Liam rolled his eyes. "This tree has been here since 1893. First Lady Frances Folsom Cleveland planted it. It's the oldest tree now. There was a really old Magnolia tree planted by Jackson in 1830, but it was dying. We had to cut it down recently, so now it's this bad boy."

"I don't know whether to be impressed or frightened by your knowledge of White House dendrology."

"I don't know whether to be impressed or frightened by the fact that, drunk out of your mind, you were able to just pull the word "dendrology" out of your ass."

"Fair enough." Theo looked at the tree. "It's a nice tree, Liam. I suppose. I think I'd like to see it in the spring."

"You will." Liam smiled. "But that's not what I wanted to show you."

"I'm afraid I’m quite confused."

"Here." He reached for the cuff of Theo's sleeve, and tugged him closer to the tree. 

"I still see a tree."

"No, you have to..." Liam grinned and lay down in the snow. 

"Liam, what on Earth are you doing?"

"Will you just come down here?" He grabbed for Theo, pulling him down into the snow, laughing as he did so. 

"I'll have you arrested for this," Theo said, though there was no malice in his voice as he settled beside Liam in the snow.

"Nah, you could never." Liam stole a quick kiss. 

"Alright, you've shown me a bare tree, tackled me into the snow, are you going to tell me what we're doing out here, or shall I freeze to death waiting for you to get to the point?"

"You are  _ such _ an ass," Liam said, shaking his head. "Here, look." He scooted to the base of the tree, and pointed out a small carving in the trunk. 

"L. E. D." Theo read. "Your initials?"

"Yup." Liam nodded, pulling something from his pocket. "Here." He pressed the Swiss Army Knife into Theo's hand. 

"What do you want me to do with this?"

"Initials," Liam said. "Carve."

"No. I can't do that!" Theo said. "Someone could see it, they could-"

"Okay, first off, no one's gonna see it. I did this when we first moved in, and no one has said boo," Liam pointed out. "Second, you're not gonna put His Royal Highness Prince Theodore James Edgar Hoover or whatever," Liam said. "T. R." He tapped the tree trunk. 

"Theo Raeken," Theo said softly. 

"Yup." Liam smiled. "Do it."

"Does this count as vandalism?" Theo asked. 

"I mean," Liam shrugged. "Technically, probably, yeah."

"You'd drag me down with you, you insolent wastrel?" 

"Everywhere I go, I'd drag you with me," Liam smiled.

Theo studied Liam, the moonlight reflecting off of the snow to highlight his face.

"You'd have me here with you? Forever, on this tree trunk?"

"Yeah." Liam nodded. "Just us. And maybe one day, some other first kid will hide from their Stiles under here, and see L.E.D and T.R. under the tree, and maybe they'll wonder who T.R. is. Hell, maybe they'll wonder who L.E.D is." Liam bit his lip. "Or maybe they'll know, because maybe, by then, the whole world will know."

"I love you," Theo said. "I love you so insanely that I am actually considering this act of vandalism."

"Well, you know what they say," Liam grinned. "Love makes people do crazy things. Now get to carving before we both freeze."

Theo moved closer to the trunk, getting a good angle, and right below Liam's carving on the trunk, he etched his own initials. 

"Perfect." Liam smiled, taking his knife back and pocketing it. "I'll make a rebel of you yet."

"Oh Liam," Theo said. "You already have."

Theo reached forwards, pulling Liam into a deep kiss.

"They'll know," Theo said as he pulled away. 

"What?" Liam looked up at him, confused. 

"That future first kid, hiding under this tree from their Stiles. They'll know  _ exactly _ who L.E.D and T.R. were. Are. They will know."

Liam smiled, reaching out to caress Theo's cheek. 

"You're so brave," he said softly. 

"Only because you have allowed me to be."

"We feed off of each other, it's not like I'm all guts and bravado, here."

"No," Theo smiled. "You are also stupid ideas and infuriating smiles."

"You are such a weird drunk," Liam pointed out. 

"You're a weird sober," Theo retorted. 

"Okay, come on." Liam got up, brushing the snow from his very damp suit. "Let's get inside before we catch pneumonia. I said I'd drag you anywhere, but I would prefer it not be to a sick bed."

"How about you drag me to your normal bed?" Theo asked, head cocked to the side. 

"Now _ that _ I can do," Liam said with a smile. He reached down and helped Theo to his feet, kissing him as the other man reached his level. "My room? 15 minutes?"

"Perfect." Theo kissed him once more.

"You know," Liam said with a grin. "In 1978, First Lady Rosalynn Carter planted a second, identical Japanese maple right there," he said, pointing across from where the other tree rested. "But it's not as cool.”

Theo just laughed, elbowing Liam gently in the side as they made their way back.

As they walked, they could still hear the sounds of the party raging inside, but neither of them felt any inclination to return to it. In part, because they didn't want to have to explain why their clothes were all wet from the snow, but more deeply because they wanted to be together, just the two of them.

When Theo reached Liam's room, he found the First Son half undressed, a bottle of Dom Perignon in his hand, and a look of absolute desire on his face. 

"Happy anniversary, babe," Liam said with a grin. 

"Oh, anniversary, eh? This is what you want to go with?"

"Yeah." Liam nodded. "New Year's was when everything changed for me. When  _ you  _ changed everything for me."

"Alright then." Theo smiled, stepping close to Liam. "Happy anniversary, mon trésor." 

Theo reached and pulled Liam into a bruising kiss. 

"Maybe not next year," he whispered into the First Son's ear. "But soon, I am going to kiss you at midnight, and it won't matter who's watching."

"It's good to have goals," Liam teased. 

"It's good when those goals bring me closer to a future with you."

"Fuck." Liam gulped. "I love you."

"Good." Theo smirked. "Because I love you, too."


	27. Chapter Twenty-Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theo attempts to come out to his sister, despite every fear and apprehension gnawing at him. Liam overhears a conversation not meant for his ears that brings up more questions than answers, and as a result, he makes a big decision regarding a part of his past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all, there is a slight trigger warning for light mentions of past child abuse in this chapter.

**I just wanted to let you know that I am talking to Tara soon. I don’t know how much I am going to tell her, but I wanted you to be aware. I wanted you to know that I am taking steps.**   
  
**_I support you. I will be here. When you’re done talking to her, if you want me, I’m here._ **   
  
Liam bit his lip as he hit send on the text. He knew what a big deal this was for Theo. There wasn’t anyone in his family that the prince had come out to yet, and Liam knew that he was nervous.   
  
It was close to February, which meant that Theo had been sitting on this for almost a month since their talk under the maple tree at New Year’s, and Liam just wanted to make sure that he was there for the man that he loved, no matter what happened. He had seen Theo gain fuel from Corey and Mason’s engagement. There was something about seeing their best friends so happy and open that had pulled at both his heart strings, and Liam’s, but that didn’t make what he was doing easy.   
  
Liam paced around the White House solarium, waiting for Theo to call him, hoping that the other man would.   
  
When his phone finally rang, Liam practically jumped out of his clothes as he rushed to answer it.   
  
“Babe?” His heart was racing, but he didn’t want to come across as too nervous. Theo didn’t deserve that. He deserved a calm boyfriend, who would cheer if it had gone well, and be there for him if it had gone badly.   
  
“Hi. I...I did it. I came out to Tara.”   
  
“And? How did it go?”   
  
“She tried to ignore it. She tried to ignore what I was saying.”   
  
“Oh, Theo,I am so sorry,” Liam gulped. That was definitely not a good thing.   
  
“I tried to ease into it, you know? And she tried to steer the conversation away from it. She knew where it was going - I’ve suspected for a while now that she knew, but she didn’t _want_ me to tell her. She knew that if I told her about it, she wouldn’t be able to pretend that it wasn’t true any longer, and I…” Theo paused, and Liam could hear a catch in his voice.   
  
He hated this. He hated the distance between them right now. He wanted nothing more than to take Theo into his arms and hold him tight. He wanted to shake Theo’s family and yell at them for not valuing the incredible man that they had before him.   
  
“I tried to do it nicely, I really did,” Theo said softly. “But she tried to reroute me, and ignore me, and finally I just sort of...screamed it at her. I just sort of shouted ‘I am gay, Tara, very, very fucking gay, and you trying to step on my words doesn’t change that.’”   
  
“Oh my god, babe, I am so proud of you!” Liam said, trying to get ahead of the pain, trying to put something positive into Theo’s day before it all came crumbling down.   
  
“Thank you,” Theo said softly.   
  
“What did she say?” Liam asked, almost afraid of the answer.   
  
“She…” Theo sighed. “She looked me dead in the eyes, and the first words out of her mouth were ‘don’t tell Gran.’”   
  
“Oh.”   
  
“Yeah. And then she went on and on about how it’s all fine and whatnot for normal people to be gay, but it wasn’t acceptible for _me_ to display it, so I had better hurry up and enlist, because honestly, it’s taken me too long already, and to start paring down the list of noblewomen to marry, because once she marries Philip, eyes are going to shift to me.”   
  
“She said _what_ ?” Liam asked, enraged.   
  
“Yeah.” There was a sadness in Theo’s voice, and Liam wanted to destroy every person who had ever hurt him. “And I know that the military is what is expected of me, I know that that has _been_ what is expected of me, what is expected of all of the men in my family, but I don’t want to do it, Liam. I don’t want to enlist. Even if it’s just a formal position, and I wouldn’t see any action. I don’t believe in so much of what my country is fighting for, and I don’t...I don’t want that life.”   
  
“Can you say no?”

Liam knew that things were different for Theo, that there were things that he faced that Liam would never have to, but he didn’t quite have a grasp on exactly what all of that meant, and he wanted to do what was right.   
  
“I...I don’t know. I mean, technically, yes, but I’ll have to explain it, and that will take some crafting. I’ve been stalling for a while - helping Corey with all of his charities, but honestly, I just want to say screw it. I want to move to New York and helm the trans and LGBTQ youth rescue that he’s launching there, and be closer to you, and just…” He trailed off. “Just be something different than what they’re trying to make me. I was born to be this...this _thing_ , not a person, but a thing, and I don’t like it, but at the same time, I know that I’m on the range of being able to make a difference. I don’t want to throw that away, either. I don’t know what to do, Liam.”   
  
“You don’t have to know right away,” Liam said softly. “You have time, you’ve come out to Tara, but that’s it, and just say that you need more time, say that Corey needs you to take some of the responsibilities over while he plans his wedding? Maybe that could work?”   
  
“I…” Theo paused, contemplating Liam’s words. “I suppose that could work, yes. Buy myself more time. Buy _us_ more time.”   
  
“Did you tell her about us?” Liam asked earnestly.   
  
“I did not. I’m sorry, Liam. I wanted to, and I think maybe she knows, but I couldn’t quite get the words out. The way that she reacted to the rest of it, I just couldn’t bring myself to go down that road. You are such a _good_ thing in my life, and I wasn’t ready to share that with someone who would tell me two million incorrect reasons why it was wrong. I don’t want _anyone_ telling me that you and I are a bad idea, because I know that we’re right. And yes, I’m not stupid - I know that we will face backlash if we ever go public, or when, or...whatever it is, but I just wasn’t ready to hear it from my own sister. I guess some part of me was hoping that she would look at me, and see her brother, and just treat me like family, and not some cog in a machine.”

“I can’t…” Liam lay down on the floor, not sure where else to be. He should be with Theo right now. He should be rubbing the man’s back, and doing everything he could to keep one of Theo’s dark moods at bay, but he couldn’t be there. He was here, in Washington D.C., and Theo was in London. “I can’t make them see how wrong they are, but I _can_ tell you how amazing you are. I can tell you that you are a strong, smart, incredible man, and I am so incredibly proud of you for all of this.”   
  
“I didn’t get my hopes up, not too high, but I wasn’t able to push it back entirely, Liam, and I let myself go there. I let myself hope just a _little_ bit that she would support me. She isn’t a bad person, or at least I don’t think she is. I just think that my grandmother has her hooks so deep in Tara that she doesn’t know how else to respond.”   
  
“I...it is horrible that your family can’t back you up.”   
  
“Honestly?” Theo took a deep breath. “These people haven’t felt like family since my father died. My mum shut herself away and I rarely see her, and Tara and my Grandmother are...they’re politicians first, and my family second, or maybe not even second. I...I honestly feel like it’s you, Corey, Derek. You’re my family, Liam.”   
  
“Oh.” Liam sat upright. “ _Oh_ .”   
  
“It’s too much. I knew it as soon as I said it, I’m sorry, Liam.”   
  
“No. No, it is not too much. It is not too much _at_ all. Theo, some people are born in your family, and some you sort of pick up along the way. If we make you feel good,if we make you feel like you, as a _person_ matter, then run with that.”   
  
“Everything is changing,” Theo said, his voice shaky. “I can feel it. It might be changing slowly, but it’s changing. _I’m_ changing. The things that were good enough for me before aren’t good enough for me anymore.”   
  
“Then don’t settle.” Liam smiled. “We’ll spend the next little while before the election planning and figuring out how we’re going to do this, and then as soon as my mother’s race is over, win or lose, we’ll come out. And we’ll do it right. We’ll do it our way.”   
  
“Yeah?” Theo asked.   
  
“Yes.” He nodded. “It gives us a little under a year, elections are in November. We’ll have that time to figure out how we want to do this.”   
  
“But you want to do this? With me?” Theo asked.   
  
“Yes.” Liam nodded. “I am getting really tired of pretending that I’m not head over heels in love with you.”   
  
“Alright. I...I was feeling very discouraged after talking to Tara, but you...you made it feel better.”   
  
“That’s what I’m here for,” he said softly. “I’m here to make you feel better when it’s rough. I’m here to be in your corner, no matter what.”   
  
“Thank you, Liam. I have to go, because I have an event this evening, but I wanted to...I wanted to hear your voice.”   
  
“My voice is here,” Liam smiled. “Whenever you want to hear it.”

“Thank you.”  
  
“Don’t even.” Liam shook his head. “Talk later?”   
  
“Absolutely.”   
  
They hung up, and Liam got to his feet, his heart heavy. Yes, he was glad that they had left things with Theo feeling better, but he still hated it, he still hated this. They had the world ahead of them, and Theo couldn’t even get support from the people who were supposed to love him the most. He couldn’t even get support from his _family_. 

At least he had Corey. At least he had Liam.   
  
Liam left the solarium, pacing the White House, trying to figure out what to do with himself when he felt so helpless. He wanted to make everything better for Theo, but he knew that things would get harder before they got easier, especially with the road they had decided to head down...and he had to worry about Argent, too.   
  
This wasn’t going to be an easy ten months, and he knew it.

“No, you - fucking _listen_ to me, Scott!”   
  
Liam stopped, ducking back behind a corner as he heard Stiles’ voice. Scott? Was Stiles talking to Congressman McCall? Liam hadn’t even really thought about whether or not they knew each other well. Then again, he supposed they were the same age, from the same state, and both in politics. Maybe they were friends and he didn’t know.

“You’re on the wrong side of this!” There was a warning tone to Stiles’ voice.   
  
God, Liam wished that he could hear the other end of the conversation. He knew that he should back away, he knew that he should walk away from this and stop eavesdropping, but he couldn’t.

“He’s a bad guy, and you have lost _everyone’s_ trust over here. I know you think we’re going to lose. I know that’s why you’re doing this, to try and nudge him to the left but that’s not - no _listen_ to me, Scott! You’re not doing yourself any favors here. I don’t know what you and Allison-” Stiles stopped talking, likely cut off on the other end, but now Liam was certain it was Scott McCall he was talking to. 

When Stiles’ voice returned, his tone was low, dangerous.   
  
“You keep his name out of this,” Stiles hissed. “This was _your_ choice that _you_ made, and you have to deal with that, Scott. You’re on the wrong side of history, here. I don’t want to talk to you, about this, or anything. Frankly, I don’t even know why you called.”   
  
Stiles hung up and walked away, and Liam? He was left leaning against the wall, trying to process what he had just heard. Things had been weird in the Dunbar camp lately, especially in relation to McCall’s work with Argent. Jenna had endorsed Scott when he had run, even running as an Independent, and Liam? Liam had helped him get elected. Liam had thought their values had lined up so well, he had been sure of it, but now?

Now he didn’t understand, and apparently, Stiles didn’t either. It hurt. Seeing Scott’s name, his photo, attached with the goblin known as Gerard Argent, and a part of him was sure that Scott had to have a reason, but as the months went by, and Scott stood to the left of the man at rallies and speeches, and announced that he would have a cabinet position when Argent won? It felt bad. It felt dirty, and Liam didn’t like it. 

Apparently, Stiles didn’t either, Liam just hadn’t realized how much it had mattered to Stiles. 

Everything was starting to feel immense. Liam wanted to help Theo through his crisis with his family. He wanted to help his mom through this election, he wanted to help Scott see that this wasn't the right path, but right now, walking around the White House, his cell phone in his hand, he felt useless. 

Absolutely useless. 

Rather than let it bog him down, though, he went to his room. Liam opened up his computer, and started doing research. He had been interning for the campaign, yes, but one of the things that he had been doing was crafting statements for himself, for his mother, for everything that he worried Argent might throw at them. There were a lot of unknowns right now, and he wasn't sure which one was going to come up first. When they did come up, he wanted to be ready. 

Maybe Stiles knew his mother's campaign inside and out, but it was Liam who knew her as a person, as a human being, as a mother, and one of the things that they had used against her in the past was Liam's father. 

He was going to make sure that didn't happen again. 

He took a deep breath, knowing what he had to do.

Over a year ago, he had given his father an ultimatum. In the spring, he had merely ignored him, but Liam had been through one presidential election already, and he was smarter now, less naïve. He closed his laptop, opened up his phone, and texted his biological father. 

**_Hey. It's Liam. When you hit me up before, I wasn't ready to talk. I wasn't expecting to hear from you, and I panicked a little. I'm ready now. If you want to talk, give me a call._ **

He felt an odd weight on his chest as he sent the text off, because it was out of his control. Everything felt out of his control right now, though, and this was something that he could at least try to grab on to. This was something that he could reach for, and try to control. 

After all, the last thing that he wanted was for Gerard to track Gary down and twist the narrative.

Once that text was sent, however, there was something that he still had to do. With a hammering heart, he left his room again, and went to his mom's office. He knocked on the door, hoping that she wouldn't be mad at him for reaching back without talking to her. 

God, he should have told her about this ages ago, but he hadn't. He had bottled it up inside, and then the whole thing with Theo had happened, and he hadn't wanted to pile on...but it mattered. 

"Mom?" He walked into her office. "Mom, I need to talk to you."

"Alright." She nodded, turning away from her computer, facing Liam. "What's going on, sweetheart?"

"Uh, god, I don't...this is something that I should have told you a long time ago."

"Sweetie, we already talked about you liking boys..."

"Yeah, it is not that." He sighed. "It's about dad. Well, it’s about Gary." 

Liam called his stepdad David, or his stepdad, but at the end of the day, deep down, he knew that David was his dad. It was like what he had told Theo - the family that mattered most wasn't always the family that you were born to, and maybe he should talk to David about that, test the waters of calling him 'dad', but for now, he needed to explain himself to his mother. 

"What? Oh my goodness, Liam, when?" She asked. 

"Um." He looked down, unable to make eye contact with her as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Christmas." He paused. "Last year."

"Oh." She furrowed her brow, and Liam couldn't tell if she was angry with him or not. "So...wait, have you been talking to the man?" 

"No. Not really. I...he reached out to me, and I told him that if he was sober, we could maybe talk, and if not, I didn't want to hear from him, and he didn't get back to me for like, months. Months and months." He sighed. "And then he hit me up again on the day of my graduation luncheon, when the whole Gerard officially running happened..." he sighed. "And it was a lot, so I just didn't reply."

"Well, sweetheart, that's your right," she said. "He abandoned you. If you don't want to talk to him-"

"I know." Liam nodded. "Except maybe it's not, because we know Gerard goes low where we go high. I've been thinking, making a list of everything in my life that he could pick at, and Gary is one of them. I reached out to him. I told him that I was ready to talk, because I want to make sure that he doesn't try and hitch his wagon to Argent's to try and get our attention."

"Oh." The look on Jenna's face was a confusing one for Liam; he wasn't sure whether or not he had seen it before. "So you're doing this for me."

"Well, no." Liam shook his head. "Not exactly. There is a part of me that's curious. Really curious. I just want to know if all of this anger that I have towards him is valid. If all of this time that I have spent hating him...if it's right, and even if it is, I sort of want to figure out how to let go of it."

"I think that is a very mature response for you to have," Jenna said. "And I am insanely proud of you right now, Liam."

"Thank you." He nodded. "For a long, long time, even when I _knew_ better, I let myself believe that if I had done something different, if I had been better, he wouldn't have yelled, or hit me, or left. But being with Theo, and talking to Theo...it has shown me that that's not always the case. Sometimes you can do _everything_ , and sometimes you can be _enough_ , and it doesn't matter. The right people will love you for every ounce of who you are. The wrong people won't love you no matter what you do to try and change that."

Jenna was speechless for a moment as she looked across her desk at her son. 

"Honestly," she said softly. "It's a lot to hear you talk like that." She reached up, wiping a tear from her eye. "I wish that I could have been the person to show you that, I do, but I get it. Sometimes it's got to be someone that wasn't there for all of it."

"None of this is your fault, mom," Liam said. “You’ve done an amazing job with me.”

"Thank you." She smiled. "The next time I see Theo, I am going to give him the biggest hug, I...I can't believe you're so grown up, Liam. It feels like just yesterday you were an angry teenager, and I was so worried about you for so long..." she trailed off. "But you're going to be just fine. And not because of me, or because of Theo, or anyone else. You're going to be just fine because of who you are, Liam. I am very, very lucky to have you as my son, and whatever you think is best with your father, I trust you, Liam. You're not a child anymore. You know what's best for you."

"Okay." Liam gulped, nodding. "Thank you, mom."

"You're welcome. I love you, Li." She got up and pulled him into a tight hug. 

"Yeah, mom." he hugged her back. "I love you, too."


	28. Chapter Twenty-Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam comes face to face with his father for the first time since the man left him and his mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the delay, it's been not a great week or so, but here's the update. Just a warning, there are mentions of past child abuse in this chapter.

The next few months were strenuous. 

The only thing that had really changed between Theo and Liam's relationship was that now, when they had to hang up, they said 'I love you'. They saw each other just as little, and fought for those moments just as hard.

Mason and Liam were at the forefront of one very specific part of the campaign - the youth vote. On top of that, Mason was planning a wedding, so every night, after whatever rally they attended and spoke at, they would hunker down in a hotel room and look at fabric swatches for napkins, or pricing for different caterers, and venues in both California and England. 

When Argent tried to poke at Mason's relationship, and accuse him of having a lack of focus, Liam chased down his rage with Theo in a New York hotel, thankful that Theo and Corey were there at the same time, working on their shelter. 

When Argent poked at Jenna's relationships, and the fact that Liam's father was absent, he locked himself in the bathroom of a Denver hotel and learned that you can, in fact, nearly pass out from how drop dead gorgeous your boyfriend is over FaceTime. 

When he finally heard back from his father, and the man stated that he was willing to meet him, but only if Liam was willing to act his age, he lay in his hotel bed, and let Theo describe the history of queer English literature to him, glad that Theo was willing to take on the brunt of the conversation. 

Every time he saw Scott somewhere with Argent, Theo was there for him. Every time he got closer to planning his meet up with his father, Theo was there for him. Every time someone posted some ridiculous rumor about him or his mom, or Mason's dad, or god forbid, Mason, Theo was there for him. Maybe it was just on the other line of the phone from thousands and thousands of miles away, but he was there, and Liam was grateful for that. 

He honestly was not sure how he had done this the first time without him.

"Look, I know that it's crazy,” Theo said over the phone. "But you're meeting with your biological father in a week, and I feel like I should be there. I can find something in California. I can find some reason to be there for you, Liam."

"No, no, it's okay," Liam said. "I'm just having lunch with him at the hotel, the whole dining room has been cleared out, it'll be just us, I'll have my security..."

"Any other couple would be there for each other in a situation like this," he said. "I want to be on stand by. I'll say I'm accompanying Corey to meet with Mason about wedding planning. My best friend being engaged to your best friend, and us being their best men is a very, very good cover for us."

"Okay." Liam nodded. "Yeah, yes, I...that would be great, actually."

"Then consider it done. I'll get a room in the same hotel, and no matter how it goes, I will be there for you after."

"Have I mentioned that I love you?" Liam asked. 

"You have, but I am always happy to hear it. Now you go and convince those college kids in Nevada to get out and vote. I will meet you in California."

"Thank you." Liam paused. “Say Nevada again.”   
  
“Nevada.”   
  
“Fuck, I never really found the whole accent thing appealing before, but I definitely get it now.”

Bolstered by the knowledge that Theo was going to be there for him, Liam went on stage and delivered the speech of his life, an impassioned plea to the youth of America, and he was still buzzing when he was finished. 

"You're getting really good at that," Mason said as they traveled to their next site. 

"Thank you," Liam said gently. "I'm just doing my best, here."

"It's working. Your numbers are up." He showed Liam the polls on his phone. "People like you, they're responding really well to you. 84% of the people polled after your speeches said they're more motivated to vote or get involved than they were before."

"Well, you're speaking at those rallies, too," Liam said with a smile. 

"Well, we're a good team." Mason shrugged. "So, on a slightly different speaking note...have you thought about what you're going to say to your father?"

"No," Liam admitted. "I think I'm just gonna try and be civil, and...let him do the talking? See if he has anything to say to me? I mean, he reached out first, and it's been a long time, but I just...I don't know, Mason. A part of me is doing this for closure, I'm expecting him to be...not good, Mason. I have a dad. It's not Gary."

"Yeah," Mason smiled, putting an arm around his best friend, hugging him. "You do, and whatever happens, I'm going to be there for you, and so is Theo."

"Yeah." Liam nodded. "But enough of this. Did you and Corey settle on a color scheme yet? You were on the phone for like 6 hours last night."

"Yeah..." Mason smiled. "We're going with deep purple and heather grey."

"Sounds perfect." Liam grinned. It was nice, in all of the chaos, to have something to look forward to, something happy, something pleasant. 

The next few days got gobbled up in a swarm of speeches, politicking, and wedding planning, and finally, Liam was pacing around an LA hotel room, trying to figure out what he was going to wear to meet his father. 

"I don't want him to think that I got dressed up for him," Liam said, taking off the button up that he was wearing. 

"Then don't," Theo said, looking through Liam's suitcase. 

"But I don't want him to pick me apart for my appearance, either."

"How about this?" Theo lifted up a short sleeved button up, pale blue. "It's casual, it's not too fancy...wear it with jeans and sneakers."

"Yeah?" Liam looked at the shirt. 

"Yes." Theo nodded. "You know that you look good in blue."

"I do." Liam put the shirt on, buttoning it up. He threw on a pair of jeans, and looked to Theo. "How do I look?"

"Like you don't give a shit what that man thinks about you."

"Good." Liam nodded, reaching up, carding a hand through his hair. "I'm nervous."

"I know." Theo nodded, placing his hands on Liam's shoulders. "But whatever happens, I'm right here. I will be right here waiting. Mason is one room over."

"I know." Liam took a deep breath. "And Boyd and Erica will be right there, and Stiles will be right there..."

"You are very loved, Liam," Theo said. 

"Yeah?" Liam smiled slightly. "Yeah, no, why am I questioning that? I know." He leaned in, kissing Theo softly. "This is going to be what it will be, and either he'll prove me right and I'll get my closure, or he'll prove me wrong, and that could be nice."

"Exactly." Theo smiled at his boyfriend. "It may not be easy, but at least you know the potential outcomes."

"I do." Liam nodded. 

"This is a good thing, even if not an easy thing."

"You're right." He smiled slightly, nodding once again. "Okay, here I go."

"You've got this, mon trésor."

And with those words in his mind, Liam left the hotel room to go to the restaurant. As he was promised, it had been cleared of other guests. This was just for him and Gary, and he was going to figure out whether or not he could make something of this. 

Boyd and Erica were sitting at a booth a ways back, and Stiles was at another table, all with meals so that Gary wouldn't know that everyone except for the waitstaff was there to protect Liam. 

"Wow." Gary walked in, and Liam's breath caught in his chest. He hadn't seen the man since he was 7 years old, but he recognized him instantly. 

"You really are an adult, huh? I mean, I see your face on the news or whatever, but it's different in person." 

He leaned in to give Liam a hug, but Liam stepped back on instinct. 

"I'm sorry," Liam said. "I don't think that I’m ready for that yet." He tried his best to keep his tone calm and even. 

"I...guess that's alright." Gary sat down, picking up a menu. Liam did the same, though no part of him felt hungry at all. 

He felt his stomach drop when, right off the bat, his father ordered a beer. Liam himself ordered a cola, but he wasn't sure that he would be able to drink it. 

"So," he leaned back in his seat, looking at his father. "It's been a long time."

"I tried reaching out to you over a year ago, Liam," Gary said. 

"Yeah," Liam rubbed the back of his neck. "And I got back to you."

"Well, can you blame me for not replying to that text? You sounded like you wanted nothing to do with me, and you were nothing but judgmental!"

"I..." Liam took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "I just didn't want to go back down the same roads we went down when I was a kid."

"You mean when you were a spoiled little brat?"

"What?" Liam frowned. 

"You were so sheltered, so protected, you needed toughening up."

"Oh." Liam nodded, feeling anger rising quickly inside of him. This was  _ not _ going well. "Is that why you hit me?"

"Someone needed to put you in your place. You were making demands all the time!"

"I was a  _ child _ !" 

"It was harmless!"

"Oh yeah?" Liam stood, pulling up his shirt to reveal the scar across his stomach, the scar that he had told Theo was from falling wrong on a lacrosse stick. "Does this look harmless to you?"

"It's healed, it's fine."

"You cut me with a broken bottle so deep it scarred!"

"It's not my fault you couldn't take it like a man."

"I wasn’t a man, I was  _ seven _ !"

"Oh yeah?" Gary stood up, anger on his face, hands balled into fists. "You're a man now, are you? So what do you say? Think you can nut up? Take it now?"

"What? No, Gary, I don't want to fight you!" Liam felt fear rising inside of him as Gary stepped closer. 

"Is that fucking doctor raising you to be a little bitch? Huh? Just like your mother?"

"Do not talk about my mom that way," Liam said, standing his ground. "I'm sorry, but...you need to leave, Gary. This was a mistake. You need to leave, and you need to stay away from me, and from mom."

"Oh, what, and you're gonna stop me?" He snorted, raising his fists and moving towards Liam. 

Liam gulped, preparing to defend himself, but before he got the chance to, a wiry body was flying through the air, knocking Gary to the ground. 

Liam looked down, eyes wide, and saw  _ Stiles _ , of all people, had tackled Gary.

"What the - who the fuck are you?" Gary asked, trying to shove Stiles off of him, but surprisingly, the man held his ground. "Get the fuck off of me!"

"And let you hurt Liam?" Stiles shook his head. "Sorry sir, but I can't let you do that."

Liam looked down at the ground, at Stiles practically sitting on top of Gary. Boyd and Erica were close by, they had stood when Gary had, but Stiles, it seemed, had gotten there first. 

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Erica said. "As soon as he gets off of you."

"I'm going to report you!" He snarled at Stiles. "I am going to have you arrested for assault!"

"Yeah, you can try," Stiles said. "But there are at least four people, and some pretty good hotel security cameras in here that saw you threatening The First Son of the United States. So."

"I'm his dad."

"You're not." Liam looked down at him. "Biologically, we're related, but that's it. You hurt us, and then you left us. I have a dad. His name is David Geyer, and he is  _ not _ you. It took him  _ years _ to undo all of the damage you did to me. It took me  _ years _ to trust him, but he stuck around. He stood his ground while I screamed at him that I hated him, and he told me that he loved me anyways." Liam reached up, wiping a tear from his eye. "You're not my father. You're just a guy I used to know."

And with that, Liam turned around, heading out of the restaurant. He had gotten every bit of information that he had needed in that moment, and he was glad, so glad, that it had gone down in such a public place. He was glad that there was security footage, because he was certain that his father had been about to hit him. 

He was certain that, had Stiles not launched himself at the other man, he would have. 

Liam didn't turn back to see how it shook down, to see how long it took Boyd and Erica to convince the man to leave, he just went back up to his hotel room where people who loved him would be waiting.

Sure enough, when he opened the door, Mason, Corey, and Theo were all sitting on the bed, watching TV. Mason fumbled for the remote, turning it off, however, the second Liam walked in. 

"You're back early..." Mason stood, reading the expression on Liam's face instantly. 

He moved forwards, pulling Liam into a tight hug.

"Yeah." Liam gulped, tears welling in his eyes as he buried his face in Mason's shoulder. "Um, can we have a minute?"

"Yeah, sure." Corey nodded, tugging at Theo's wrist, pulling him from the room. 

"Are you okay?" Mason asked. "If you want Theo-"

"Not yet," Liam said softly. "I love him, and I'll want him later, but Mase,  _ you're _ my best friend," he said. "I need  _ you _ right now."

"Okay." Mason nodded, leading Liam over to the bed. "I'm here."

"He's such a dick!" Liam said, sitting down on the bed. "He...he said horrible things, and then he stood up and raised his fists. He was going to hit me, Mason."

"That fucker, I will kill him!"

"Get in line." Liam gulped back tears. "Stiles tackled him."

"What?" Mason's eyes widened. 

"Yeah. Boyd and Erica were just about to grab him, and Stiles just sort of flew out of nowhere and took him down."

" _ Stiles _ ?" Mason asked. 

"Yup." Liam nodded. 

"Wow. I did not have that on my Liam’s Dad is an Asshole bingo card..."

"Me neither." Liam sighed, flopping back onto the bed, staring at the hotel ceiling. "At least I know now, though. He is 500% the same person that he was before. He's not gonna change, and I can put any hope of that to bed, and move on. David is my dad, you're my brother, mom's my mom..." He smiled. "I have the best family. And it doesn't include him."

"You've got Corey and Theo, too," Mason said softly. 

"Yeah." Liam smiled. "I know."

"Corey and I basically had to hold Theo back. The second you walked out the door, he freaked out a little. He didn't want you to have to face that on your own."

"He's a good man. He's a good boyfriend."

"Yeah." Mason smiled. "He loves you. A lot."

"I know." Liam looked at his best friend, sighing heavily. "I just wish it were easier. I wish that everything were a little bit easier. We're fighting so many uphill battles right now - this election, things with my dad, things with the monarchy, my relationship with Theo..." He sighed. "I mean, I guess that thing with my dad is over now, but still. There's just so much happening. It's hard to let myself believe that it will all be okay."

"Well, maybe it won't all be okay," Mason said. "Today, what happened with your sperm donor, that wasn't okay, Liam."

"No." Liam shook his head. "No, I guess it wasn't."

"But you're gonna survive it," Mason told him. 

"Yeah, I'm gonna survive it."

"And the next thing that doesn't go well? You're gonna survive that, too."

"Fuck." Liam rolled onto his side, focusing on Mason. "You are the calmest, most level headed person I have ever met in my life."

"Nah," Mason shook his head. "Just good under pressure. You should see me when Corey takes his shirt off. I go from cool and collected to a puddle of disaster in like, seconds."

"Did I need to know that?" Liam asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Yes." Mason grinned. "You did, because you're my best friend, and hopefully my best man, and you have to know every dumb detail of my life."

"Um, excuse you,  _ hopefully _ your best man?"

"Well, I hadn't technically asked you yet," Mason said. 

"I mean, yeah, I assumed it was a given! I’ve been telling people I’m your best man since you got engaged!"

"Oh." Mason laughed. "Well, then you're my best man."

"Damn right I am!" Liam confirmed. 

"Out of curiosity, what would you have said if I had told you I was thinking of going in a different direction for my best man?"

"I would have called you a dirty rotten liar, because you _ know _ no one's gonna be your best man but me."

"Fair enough." Mason grinned. "But the point is, we're gonna be okay, Liam. All of us. When it's hard, we'll lean on each other, sometimes more than others, but win or lose the election, we're going to be getting our messages out there. Corey and I are going to get married, and you and Theo?" He shrugged. "I don't know exactly, but I have a good feeling about him for you, Liam. He  _ matches _ you. He can keep up with you. I think that's sort of been your problem - you've been seeking someone with the same intensity inside of them, and you've found that. He can stand up to you, he can keep you cool when you get hot headed, but he's also smart enough to know when to let you win."

"Excuse you, he never  _ lets _ me win."

"You sure about that?" Mason asked, tilting his head to the side. "Because I think we both know there are layers to that prince that even you haven't quite discovered yet."

"Whose team are you on anyways?"

"Team?" Mason grinned. "I'm Team Thiam."

"Oh god." Liam rolled his eyes. 

"No, but for real," Mason said. "He's your person, Liam. Let yourself have that."

"I am."

"Then you're gonna be alright. You've got a good mom, a good dad, a good boyfriend, a _ great  _ best friend, and a good...whatever the hell Stiles is."

"I do." Liam sat up fully, taking a deep breath. "You're right, whatever happens, I've got a good team."

"The best." Mason stood up. 

"Where are you going?" Liam asked. 

"I talked you down," Mason said. "But your boyfriend flew all the way here from England to be here when you needed him, so I think it's time to give him a turn to comfort you. You can let him think he did all the heavy lifting, even if we both know it was me." Mason winked. 

"You're the best friend a guy like me could ask for."

"Ha." Mason snorted. "I'm better."

"Alright, alright," Liam rolled his eyes. "I want Theo now. Get out."

"You got it." Mason grinned as he left the room.

"So," Theo said as he entered. "A little bird told me it got a bit violent down there?"

"Yeah." Liam gulped. "Look, Theo, there are some things...I maybe should have told you."

"I can read between your lines, Liam," Theo said, taking his hand. "I know what kind of man he is. I know what kind of man you are. I'm just glad that Stiles was there to protect you."

"Yeah." Liam leaned against Theo, resting his head on his shoulder. "But I'm even more glad that you're here to hold me."

"And hold you I shall." Theo leaned in, kissing Liam softly. "Just...no more lying to me about your scars, alright?"

"How long have you known?"

"I think probably this whole time," Theo admitted. "But I've been sure of it for a little while now."

"I just didn't want you to think that I was weak," Liam admitted. "I was afraid that if you saw me as this little kid who's daddy beat him up-"

"There is no part of you that is weak, and if there were, it wouldn’t be because of that." Theo pulled Liam around, looking directly into his eyes. "You are a force to be reckoned with. There's a storm inside of you, Liam Dunbar. I can't wait to see how you unleash it upon the world."

"I love the way that you see me," Liam said softly. 

"I love the man that I see," Theo countered. "He is kind, and caring, and strong, smart as a whip, and he is going to make a very beautiful mark on this world."

"You're right." Liam smiled. "And so is his boyfriend."

Liam threw his arms around Theo, hugging him tight. He was still feeling emotionally exhausted from his interaction with Gary, but he wasn't afraid. After talking to Mason and Theo, he knew that they were both right. There were a lot of things they had to get through, but Liam wasn't alone, and he was going to make it through all of them.


	29. Chapter Twenty-Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam gets curious about a mysterious event in Stiles' life, but before he can really focus on that too much, something that will alter the Dunbar's campaign, Liam's life, and possibly the world, comes to the surface.

Everything just continued to get crazier from there. The campaign was full steam ahead, and when Stiles showed back up at work after a couple days off with a gold band on his left ring finger, and seemingly zero desire to say anything about it, Liam was ravaged with curiosity. 

"Did you get  _ married _ ?" Liam badgered. 

"No." Stiles didn't even lift his head from the polls he was going over at the office. 

"Did you get engaged?"

"Yes." He still didn't look up. 

"To  _ who _ ?"

"Doesn't matter," Stiles said with a shrug. "We're at work, focusing on work right now, Liam. If the ring on my finger is going to distract from the task at hand, I will take it off."

"No, no, don't do that!" Liam shook his head. "I don't want to make things weird. I guess...congratulations on your engagement? I mean, I thought we were close, and you'd tell me these things, but..."

"Liam." Stiles finally looked up at him. "Look, I had a couple days off, I visited my partner, we got engaged. It's exciting for me, yes, but we're not going to do anything about it until the election is over anyways, and I really, really,  _ really  _ don't want to draw focus away from what matters here, so can you please just _ try  _ and work on your plans for how to get voters in underserved communities to polling stations?"

"Yeah, okay, yes." Liam nodded. "Absolutely. That is fine."

He hated to admit that Stiles had a point, but the guy was smart as a whip, and while curiosity about the very shiny ring on his finger had Liam going a little bit insane, he turned back to his work. After all, what he was doing was important, and he knew that. He couldn't just stop because he wanted to have a good gossip.

And Stiles' engagement was just the tip of the iceberg for the catastrophe that was about to be their week.    
  
***

"What in god's name did you think you were doing?!"

"Mmm, what?" Liam sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes as Stiles burst into his room. 

"See for yourself!" There was a rage in Stiles that Liam wasn't sure he had ever seen before, and as a cascade of newspapers and magazines tumbled onto his bed, Liam felt like his heart was going to stop.

"Oh no..." Liam lifted the first newspaper. On the front page, there was a picture of him and Theo, laughing together at that Parisian café.

**MON TRÉSOR AND BABE: INSIDE THE SECRET LOVE AFFAIR BETWEEN THE FIRST SON AND PRINCE THEODORE**

"How..." Liam grabbed the next paper, a more sleazy tabloid. 

**"OVERSEE MY ERECTION": READ FIRST SON'S DIRTY E-MAILS TO PRINCE THEODORE**

"Oh my god..." Liam flipped through another. 

**_QUEEN_ ** **THEODORE WOOS AMERICAN FIRST SON IN ROMANTIC WRITINGS**

**QUIZ: WHICH THEO/LIAM E-MAIL QUOTE BEST DESCRIBES YOUR LOVE LIFE?**

**HUNKY FIRST SON FLAUNTS PRINCE THEODORE'S SIGNET RING IN SHIRTLESS SELFIE AS AFFAIR RUMORS BOIL OVER**

**FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS? THE SORDID SEX LIFE OF AMERICA'S FIRST SON AND PRINCE THEODORE OF WALES**

**25 BEST REACTION GIFS FOR LEARNING ABOUT PRINCE THEO AND LIAM'S SECRET RELATIONSHIP**

**IT'S NOT JUST E-MAILS! READ THE HUNDREDS OF FLIRTY TEXTS BETWEEN THE PRINCE AND THE FIRST SON HERE!**

Liam flipped through every one of the papers and magazines that Stiles had dropped on his bed, every one of them blasting some version of the same tawdry headline, and everyone of them with a different picture of Theo and Liam together. Sure, the photos were innocent enough, but with the e-mails? With the text messages? It was all pretty damning. 

"I have to call Theo," Liam said. 

"Oh no you don't." Stiles reached out, snatching Liam's phone. "You're on a communication lockdown until the administration figures out where this leak came from, and decides what kind of statement they are going to make about this, and I..." Stiles sighed, raking a hand through his cropped hair. "This is bad, Liam. I don't have to tell you that, but this is bad."

"How did they even get that stuff?" Liam asked. 

"You should know that even private e-mail servers can be accessed, phones too. Nothing is _ actually  _ private, Liam. Not forever. Not when you're the son of someone in a dead heat presidential race. You should have been more careful."

"Fuck." Liam gulped. "Fuck, fuck, fuck! This wasn't how it was supposed to happen! We were going to control the narrative, we were going to-"

"It doesn't matter what you  _ were _ going to do, Liam," Stiles stated. "It matters what we are going to do now."

"Yeah..." Liam gulped, his chest was tight. 

"So get dressed, and come to the briefing room. Now."

"Okay." Liam nodded, getting out of bed, and pulling a pair of sweats on over his boxers, and a shirt on over his head. He didn't feel the need to spend a lot of time getting dressed right now. He needed to get to the office and figure out what they were going to do, so that he could get his phone back and call Theo. 

This wasn't just happening to him, it was happening to his prince, too, and he didn't want Theo stuck on the other end of this with very few people in his corner. 

"Look, can I please have my phone?" Liam asked. "I just need to talk to Theo."

"No." Stiles shook his head. "We don't know how these e-mails got out, we don't know where the leak was, and until we do, or at least have a better idea of it, we can't have you and Theodore creating more 'content' so to speak. I promise, Liam, as soon as we have some damage control figured out, we'll let you talk to Theo, but right now, we need to focus on that. Your feelings come second."

"It's not _ my  _ feelings I'm worried about!" Liam said. 

"Well as far as I'm concerned, Theo's feelings are pretty far down my list of worries as well."

"Stiles!" Liam said. 

"I'm sorry, Liam, I know," Stiles slowed. "I know. And as soon as it feels safe, I will get you in contact with him, alright? I promise. I'm not trying to keep you from him, I'm just trying to keep you from acting emotionally, and releasing more information to the world."

"Fine." Liam nodded.

It wasn't fine, but whether Stiles had a point or not, they were practically to the briefing room, and he didn't have time to argue with him anymore. 

Once they opened the door, Jenna stood. She looked tired, and frazzled, and Liam felt terrible. 

"Everyone out except for Liam," she said, her voice serious, her tone in control. "I need to speak to my son."

"But ma'am-"

"Stiles. Out." She pointed towards the door. 

"Yes ma'am." Stiles bowed his head, nodding, and headed for the door, shooting Liam one last almost apologetic look as the room cleared out. 

"Mom," Liam looked up at her. "Mom, I am sorry. I am so, so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen, I didn't think-"

"Are you alright?" Jenna asked. 

"I...what?" Liam was confused. 

"Are you alright?" She asked again. "This is your personal business, and it is splashed across the front page of every paper in the world right now. Are you alright?"

"Mom..." Liam launched himself forwards and into her arms, hugging her tightly. 

"This is a mess, Liam," she said softly. 

"I know." He nodded, his head buried in her neck. He was scared, and he needed his mother right now, President, or not. "I'm so sorry."

"There are only words," she said. "None of the pictures are truly damning. If you want me to make this go away, Liam...I can't get rid of speculation, but if you want me to cover this up, I will. If you want to tell the truth, well, this is your life, Liam. I was your mother long before I was President, and whatever you want to do here, that's what we're going to do. The ball is in your court, sweetheart. I'm not going to tell you what to do."

"Really?" Liam took a step back, wiping a tear from his eyes as he looked at his mother. 

"Really." She nodded. "If this is how you want to be remembered, with Theo by your side, then that is what we will do. If you want to hide it, we'll hide it. My concern here is  _ you  _ before anything else, do you understand me?"

"Yes, ma'am." Liam gulped.

"So you think about what you want to do, alright?"

"Alright." Liam gulped. "Mom, I think…” He paused. “I might know where the leak came from."

"What?" She looked at him, concerned. 

"I told Scott. Or, he knew. About me and Theo. Before I knew he'd hitched his wagon to Argent, I went to him for advice about my sexuality, and he figured it out."

"Sweetheart, I may not understand the decisions that Congressman McCall has been making, but I know that he wouldn't do this to you. He may be making questionable political alliances, but he is not an evil man, and he would never, _ ever _ try to hurt you like this."

Liam gulped. He really wanted his mother to be right about that. 

"Then who?"

"I don't know." She shook her head. "But we're going to find out, alright? You just focus on what you want to do about it, okay?"

"I need to talk to Theo," he said softly. 

"Of course, and you can try, but...we've been reaching out to the Monarchy, to try and work with them on this, and it has been radio silence."

"He'll call me back," Liam said. "He has to. He promised that he wouldn't go dark on me again."

"Okay." She nodded. "I'll get Stiles to give you your phone back, and we'll keep trying, Liam, alright?"

"Alright." Liam nodded. 

He hugged his mother again, pulling her close, trying to make this seem alright, trying to make himself feel better, but there was no way to do that. The anxiety in his chest was all but debilitating, and he felt like he could hardly breathe. 

His mother was, unfortunately, correct. Even once Stiles begrudgingly returned his phone, there were no answers to his texts, his calls went straight to voicemail, and he told himself that Theo's phone had been taken away, too. He convinced himself that it had been turned off by someone else, and not by him, because he  _ knew _ that Theo wouldn't want to be going through this alone any more than Liam did. They had to figure out what they were going to do, but how could they do that if they weren't able to talk?

Liam spent the entire day in briefings. There were meetings on top of meetings, trying to come up with a plan, to craft a statement to release, but Liam wasn't willing to send anything to press without Theo. This wasn't just his choice to make, it was Theo's, too, and he begged his mother to stay silent on the issue. As long as the palace wasn't responding to them, as long as his calls kept bouncing to voicemail, he couldn't, in good conscience, make this decision. 

It was late when he tried to go to bed, and he couldn't make himself sleep. He tried for several hours, but he was tossing and turning, unable to do anything.

He knew better than to check his phone, but he couldn't help it. Twitter was ablaze, some in support, but some not - there were plenty of horrible things being said about him, about Theo, and staying quiet on it felt awful, but he couldn't just blaze forth without his partner. 

This wasn't his choice to make alone, and he knew that. 

"Mason?"

"Hey, buddy." It was clear from Mason's voice, and how quickly he had answered, that he hadn't been asleep, either. 

"Can you come over? I...I can't sleep, I can't be alone right now."

"Of course." Mason nodded. "I'll be right there."

"Thank you."

In less than an hour, Mason was at his side, sitting on the floor with him, video game controller in hand. 

"Do you know what you're going to do?" he asked, selecting his player. 

"I know what I  _ want  _ to do," Liam said. "But it's not just about me, it's about Theo, too, and if we're going to go public with this, then we need to both be on the same side of that. My mom said that it would be possible to cover it up...though the longer we wait on that, the longer we hesitate to deny it, the more difficult that particular brand of action will be. I don't want to, though. I want to stand by my actions. This is not how I wanted this to happen, but I don't want to hide."

"You'll get through to him," Mason said softly. "I've been texting Corey, he said that he can't get through, either, so that's...at least you know it's not you, right? It's everyone. Whatever is happening over there? It probably isn't Theo's choice. If he had his way, he'd be talking to you."

"Yeah." Liam sighed. "I know that. Or at least I think that I do, it's just...it's all weird right now."

"Of course it is. This was _ your  _ thing to tell people when you were ready, and that got stolen from you. I can't imagine how that feels."

"You've been out for ages," Liam said. "You've been dealing with this kind of hate for a long time, I've been dealing with it for a day and I feel like I'm collapsing."

"Would you believe me if I said it gets easier?"

"Maybe." Liam shrugged. "You're the one with the experience."

"At first, yeah, it's a flood of nasty. There are stupid comments, ignorant ones, and those can be hard to ignore, but then you find your allies. You learn who's on your side, and where to go for support, and it's easier to filter out the idiots."

"How did you get to be so wise? We're the same age."

"Hard work, dedication, and a natural aptitude for brilliance."

"Good to see you're humble."

"Why bother?" Mason elbowed his friend in the arm. "So many people hate me for so many arbitrary reasons. Why not throw that back in their face by being confident as all get out?"

"You've got me there." Liam bit his lip. "I'm scared, Mason."

"Yeah." Mason nodded. "I can only imagine."

"This is going to define the rest of my life, and I don't want to handle it wrong, but also...I don't want to lose Theo. I love him, and I don't know what's coming next for us."

"I know. But he loves you, too, okay? so just...take a deep breath and know that whatever happens, it will be the two of you, side by side, figuring it out."

"Yeah," Liam sighed. "If I can get him to talk to me."

"He can't stay radio silent forever," Mason reminded him. "At some point, we'll get through."

Liam nodded, letting himself sink into mindless video games with Mason. They played Mario Kart, Smash Bros, anything they could think of to take their minds off of what was going on. Of course, every so often, he checked his phone, firing off another text to Theo, or attempting to call him again, but it was to no avail. He couldn't get through to the other man. It seemed as though Theo's phone was still off, and that was agitating. 

Liam was confident in what they had.  _ This _ , he felt, was their time to show history what they were, but he couldn't make that choice without Theo, and with every minute that he couldn't speak to him, his anxiety grew worse. 

Liam had support. He had his mother behind him, and tons of others, but Theo didn't have that. Theo's own sister hadn't been supportive, and his mother had been absent for the last few years. He felt horrible, thinking about Theo, all alone in that palace that barely felt like a home, being trapped, cornered with people telling him what to do. He didn't know if Theo would have the resolve to hold them off. He wanted to believe that Theo could stand his ground, but it was easier for Liam. He had an army behind him. Theo had Derek, and Corey, and very possibly, no one else. It wasn't fair. 

Every time he checked his phone, he was worried that there would be a statement from the Monarchy disavowing everything. If his mother would have been able to cover it up, he was sure that the Queen would be able to do the same, and he didn't want that. He didn't want Theo to be forced to erase this part of him time and time again, to deny what was so clearly true. 

The e-mails spoke from themselves, as did the texts. Sure, some of them were dirty, but most of them were kind, romantic, and showed a real and true love between himself and the prince.

Liam just hoped that Theo would see those, remember them, and hold on.

Mason did his best as a good friend, and held on until maybe 5 AM, when he fell asleep on Liam's bedroom floor. A selfish part of Liam wanted to shake Mason awake, and get the guy to keep playing video games with him, but he couldn't do that. Mason had already done so much for him, and he couldn't make him do this, too. 

Maybe getting something to eat would help him. He grabbed a blanket from the bed and spread it over Mason, lifting his head just enough to get a pillow underneath it before putting on his slippers and heading out in search of food. 

"They're really not letting you through?"

Liam gulped. The door to his mother's office was cracked open, and he could hear perfectly as she talked with Stiles. 

"They're really not." Jenna sounded tired, and that just added to Liam's guilt. 

"You're the President of the United States!" Stiles sounded riled up, if not just as exhausted. 

"I know. This is unprecedented. Liam won't let us release a statement without Theo's consent, and we can't get anywhere near the royal family right now to  _ get  _ his consent. The longer this goes on, the less control we will have over it - why don't they see that?"

"I don't know, ma'am."

"I'm worried about Liam. This has to be destroying him. That's his boyfriend, the man that he loves, and he can't get through to him? He can't figure out this giant, major thing with him? What...what am I supposed to tell my son? That time's up? That we have to say  _ something _ ?" Jenna asked. "We've been dark for a full day. We have to release a statement, we have to respond, and Liam was clear about what he wanted, but..." Jenna sighed. "But we can't just say  _ nothing _ ."

Liam hated this. He knew that his mother was right, and he appreciated that she was trying to do the right thing, and he felt awful for stalling it. At the same time, though, he would have felt just as terrible if they made a big flashy statement without Theo signing off on it. Why couldn't he just pick up his phone, god damnit!

"What is it?"

"What's what?" Stiles asked. 

"That look. I know that look. You have an idea."

"Yeah..." Stiles took a deep breath. 

"Is it a Mr. Stilinski, Campaign Advisor idea, or a Stiles Idea?" Jenna asked. 

"Oh, definitely a Stiles idea."

"Well," Jenna hesitated. "We've worn through all of the other ideas, so why don't you give it a shot?"

"Are you sure?" Stiles asked. "It's a little...reckless."

"This whole thing has been built off of recklessness, and if nothing else works..."

"Alright." Stiles nodded. "I'll kick it into gear, and go talk to Liam."

_ Oh shit _ . Liam pulled away from the wall and ran back to his bedroom. He was pretty sure that he had caused enough damage, he didn't want to get reamed for eavesdropping on top of it. He closed the door, and sat down on his bed, trying to calm his heart rate. 

"Come in!" he called when he heard a knock on the door. 

"Oh good," Stiles said, entering the room. "You're up. Pack a bag." He paused. "We're storming the castle."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! I will mention this again as we get closer, but as we near the end of the story, I am curious to know what things/scenes/moments that have NOT shown up in the story you would like to read! I plan to write some Paper Moon-verse oneshots when I'm finished posting the story, and I'm curious to know what y'all want to know more about! You can leave them in comments, hit me up on tumblr - purplehoodiesandleatherjackets.tumblr.com, or the fastest way to reach me for conversation is discord, where my handle is: PurpleHoodies#4940.


	30. Chapter Thirty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam and his team storm the castle to talk to Theo, and face off against the Queen and Crown to fight for their place in history.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have decided that it is Paper Moon Weekend for me, and my goal is to have the story all posted by the time I leave the house on Monday. Your feed back is always appreciated, and as I said with the last chapter (and will say in the notes for every chapter going forwards): I am curious to know what things/scenes/moments that have NOT shown up in the story you would like to read! I plan to write some Paper Moon-verse oneshots when I'm finished posting the story, and I'm curious to know what y'all want to know more about! You can leave them in comments, hit me up on tumblr - purplehoodiesandleatherjackets.tumblr.com, or the fastest way to reach me for conversation is discord, where my handle is: PurpleHoodies#4940.
> 
> A couple of extra things:
> 
> 1\. Thank you all so much for the fucking wonderful comments you have left on the story so far, they make me so incredibly happy - I know I have been bad at replying to them lately, but once the story is fully posted, I will get to it, I promise. 
> 
> 2\. I have been finding some fanart/aesthetics and stuff on Tumblr, and having some things linked to me, and ANYONE who has created anything for this story, you have no idea what it means to me. I appreciate it so, so, so much. I have a little collection saved in a folder on my computer, and it has really made my life, tbh. 
> 
> 3\. I hope you're all still enjoying the story, and I hope you enjoy the last few chapters!

"I'm coming with you," Mason said, watching as Liam shoved some clothes haphazardly into a backpack. 

"Mason, you can't."

"Fuck that noise!" Mason frowned. "If you're gonna go all Westley storming the castle for Princess Buttercup, you bet your fucking ass I'm coming with you!"

"It's not exactly like that," Liam explained. 

"Close enough. Come on, throw in an extra set of clothes for me, you're not leaving me behind on this one. Don't even try to talk me out of it. Worst case scenario, they don’t let me in and I go hang out with Corey."

"I don't deserve you as a best friend," Liam sighed, adding some extra clothes to his backpack. 

"I'm expecting one hell of a wedding gift."

"Trust me," Liam said, slinging the pack over his shoulder. "You're getting one."

He and Mason walked towards an exit of the White House, the one where they would least likely to be seen. 

"You go and get your man, sweetheart." Jenna pulled Liam into a hug, kissing the top of his head. 

"I will." Liam nodded. 

He was bolstered with confidence as he, Stiles, Mason, Boyd, and Erica boarded a plane to London, but as they took off, anxiety began to creep it's way back in. 

"How do you know they're going to let us through?"

"I don't," Stiles admitted. 

"How do you know they won't have the Royal Guard throw us in prison? They can do that, right? Or maybe not? I don't even know!" He sighed, shaking his head. "I just want to talk to him."

"It's going to work out, Liam," Stiles said. 

"How can you know that?"

"I just do." Stiles looked at him. "Because you're too determined to give up, and sometimes the bad guys win, but in this case, love is going to win. Now try and get some rest."

"I'm sorry, I can't. I'm losing my mind over here. I haven't been able to talk to him, I don't know if this is even going to work-"

"It will work."

"Stiles!"

"Jesus, fine." He pulled his phone out, dialing a number and putting the phone to his ear. 

"What? Who are you even calling?" Liam asked. 

"Hale."

"What makes you think he's gonna answer?"

"It's his personal phone," Stiles explained. 

"Excuse me? You have his  _ personal _ number and you're only just  _ now _ using it?" Liam glared at Stiles, because that seemed like a huge waste to him. 

"It's personal for a reason," Stiles sighed. "But this is bigger than that, I- Yes. Hale, we are coming. Liam is with me...I don't give a flying fuck if you think it's 'unwise'. I think it's 'unwise' for your camp to stay totally silent here! The boys need to release a joint statement and you  _ know  _ that, so here's what's going to happen - no,  _ you _ listen to  _ me _ , Hale. I swear to god. We are six hours out. When we land, there is going to be a car waiting for us, and you are going to get us into that palace and a meeting with the Queen or...whoever the fuck else we need to talk to make this work, because I have a young man here who needs to talk to his boyfriend, and I  _ know _ you care about Prince Theo more than you care about the stupid crown. You're going to get me these things, Hale, or I  _ swear _ to god I will rip your balls off and have them fashioned into cufflinks. I will burn down your entire motherfucking life, you  _ ask _ me if I'm afraid of the Monarchy."

Liam watched, wide-eyed as Stiles yelled at Theo's equerry over the phone, then waited, presumably listening to what the other man was saying. 

"Yes." Stiles nodded. "Yes, fuck, that's all I'm fucking asking! Jesus, was that so hard? I knew you could do it." There was a smile of triumph on Stiles' face. "Now you're going to do one more thing for me, alright? You're going to put Theo on the phone, because I  _ know  _ you wouldn't let him out of your beady little eyesight, so don't even pretend like he's not within earshot." Stiles paused for a moment, then smirked. "Good. Thank you." He paused again. "I love you too." 

And with that, he tossed the phone to a very awe-struck Liam. 

"Well don't just sit there holding it!" Stiles snapped. "Theo's on the other line!"

"Oh, right." Liam lifted the phone to his ear, his heart pounding. "Babe?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then, to Liam's great relief, Theo's voice came over the phone. 

"Mon trésor," Theo breathed. 

"Oh my god." Liam practically hugged the phone to his ear.

"Love, are you alright?"

"What? Yes, I'm fine!" Liam said. "I mean, I'm not fine, but I'm...I'm more worried about you. Are you alright? I've been trying to reach you-"

"I suspected. I'm sorry. Gran took away my phone and computer and practically locked me in my rooms, I haven't been able to do anything, I don't even know what she's talking about or how she’s handling any of this."

"She hasn't released anything," Liam said. "Nothing's come out, not from our end, either. I didn't want to say anything without talking to you about it first."

"Liam-"

"There's just so much, and this isn't how this should have happened, and whatever you want to do is what we'll do, alright? Whatever you're comfortable with, if you want to cover this up..."

"Liam-"

"We can cover it up, we can hide it, say that it's all doctored, I can probably convince Hayden into posing with me for some highly specific photos, I can-"

" _ Liam _ !"

"Yeah, babe?"

"Will you shut up for three seconds? I know that may be verging on the physically impossible for you, but will you just  _ shut up _ and let me talk?"

"Right." Liam gulped. "Yes. Sorry."

"I don't want to lie, Liam," Theo said. 

"I...you don't?"

"No. I have kept back who I am for a very, very long time. Is this how I would have chosen for things to go down? No. Absolutely not, but do I want to pretend that every word I wrote in those e-mails wasn't true? No. I love you, Liam. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, bar none, and I want you. I'm afraid of what would happen to us if we tried to pretend that this wasn't real. We would have to stay apart, to be careful, to tiptoe around each other, and I see you too little as it is. I'm not willing to put our relationship at risk."

"I want the same thing," Liam said quickly, not wanting to leave Theo confused or unsure about his feelings for a single moment longer. "I want you. I want to be with you, and if this is the time, then I'm ready for the world to know. I'm coming, Theo. I am on my way to you, I will be there in a few hours, and we will figure this out, because this is real, this is us. I've talked to my mother, and she said she'll back whatever I want to do, and this? This is what I want to do. I love you, Theo, and I'm done hiding."

"You are so incredible, Liam," Theo said softly. 

"Only because I have you." He smiled gently. "You just hold tight, cuddle Freddie, and I will be there soon."

"My grandmother won't let you in," Theo said. 

"She will," Liam replied. "Because I will release a statement she doesn't like if she won't. Stiles and Derek worked something out - by the way, did you know that they're a thing?"

"I didn't until I heard Derek say "I love you" over the phone just now," Theo said. 

"Like, how crazy is that? They are like, literally engaged."

"Everything is crazy right now," Theo said softly. “But at least that’s one nice sort of crazy, I suppose.”

"You've got that right."

"So you're...on your way?"

"Yes." Liam nodded. "I'm gonna be there soon, babe. Just wait for me."

"I will." The smile in Theo's voice was audible, even over the phone. 

"I don't want to hang up," Liam said softly. 

"Then don't."

Liam stayed on the phone with Theo as they flew, hanging up only when the battery on Stiles' phone started to die. Liam reached over to ask for the charger, but Stiles was asleep, and Liam did not want to risk waking him up, not with everything Stiles was already doing for him, including, apparently, possibly putting his own relationship on the line for Liam’s. 

He lay back in his chair, trying to catch a couple of hours of sleep himself as they finished up their flight, and he maybe got a couple of minutes in, but nowhere near enough. He was nervous, anxious, and as they approached Kensington palace, his heart was racing. 

***

"Tara, fuck off! He doesn't want to see you - oh." Corey smiled as he realized that it was Liam at Theo's bedroom door, and not the princess. "Never mind, you - I am so fucking glad to see you - come right on in. I'll uh..." he gestured towards the door. 

"Mason's in the car," Liam said. 

"Perfect."

Corey slipped out of the room, and Liam smiled as he spotted Derek. "Stiles is downstairs talking to the guards."

"Right." Derek nodded, looking to Theo, who gave him a nod, before following Corey out of the room, leaving Liam and Theo alone. 

"Hi, babe." Liam walked over towards Theo, who looked exhausted. He was wearing sweats, and a worn t-shirt, and he didn't look much better than Liam did, in his ratty jeans and faded hoodie. Still, Liam wasn't sure that he had ever seen anyone more beautiful.

"I am so glad you're here," Theo said, throwing his arms around Liam, kissing him, long and deep. 

"I am so sorry," Liam said. "I don't know how this happened, but I'm willing to bet that it was on my end of things, what with the election and all, and I am so, so incredibly sorry." He kissed Theo again.

"It doesn't matter," Theo said. "It doesn't matter who's to blame for this, it just matters that we get it out there. We had our choice of timing taken from us, but how we present it...we can still control that."

"And we will." Liam smiled, taking Theo's hand and squeezing it. "It's our time. Whether we chose it or not, it's our time, and we will make this work."

"No."

A voice from the doorway froze them both, and Liam turned, seeing Princess Tara in the door. 

"Excuse me?" Theo said. 

"You're not doing this, Theodore," she said. "You don't know what you're talking about. We are going to cover it up, we are going to say that the e-mails are doctored. It is truly amazing what one can do with photo editing software these days, and with an American election coming up, it stands to good reason that someone would want to create an international dust up like this. We are going to say that you and Liam are just close friends, as you have always been, and  _ you _ ," she narrowed her eyes at Liam. "Are going to tell your side of things to go along with it if you know what's good for you, or if not what’s good for you, then do it because it’s what's good for Theo."

"Uh," Liam looked at Theo. "No, I don't think that's what's going to happen."

"What, so you two love each other and you think that's all that bloody matters?" Tara asked. "It's hardly even close to what matters! Theo, you're the prince of fucking England! You don't get to have a say in your personal life!"

"Yes, Tara," Theo said calmly. "I do. I love Liam, and we're doing this. I am choosing to have a say in my personal life."

"Are you insane?" Tara asked. "Do you know what this will mean-"

"I'll abdicate, if it comes to that."

"No, you fucking won't!" Tara said. "Come on, Theo. Use your fucking brain! You're young, but you're too smart to behave like some hormonal, lovesick teenager."

"I'm gay, Tara," Theo said. "And I'm done pretending that I'm not."

"I don't give a fuck if you're gay!" Tara said. "It's the way you're going about this - with _ him _ ? He's American. Even if it were okay for you to come out as gay, and maybe that is something we can talk about with Gran if you really must, but The First Son of the United States is not exactly a proper match for you!"

"Shut up, Tara!" Theo said. "I am going to Buckingham palace, I am going to talk to Gran, and I am taking Liam with me. You can stay here, and simper to your fiancé, whom you don't love, if you like, but I will not be living that life. I am choosing to have better." He took Liam's hand. "Come on, love. We have business to attend to."

"Yes, yes we fucking do." Liam grinned, following Theo to the door. He stopped short, though, and turned back to Tara. "I know you hate me, and I honestly don't give a fuck, but I love your brother  _ so _ fucking much, and if you have any love for him inside of you, you might see what a good thing that really is. I would do anything for him, and having someone like that in your corner is actually a really good thing. I know that, because I know he’s the same for me, and it feels fucking incredible. I'm glad that he doesn't want to hide it."

"You're both making a huge mistake!" Tara called as they left the rooms. 

"See if I care," Theo called over his shoulder. 

"Okay," Liam looked up at him. "So, I'm liking this devil may care attitude, a lot, actually, but have you thought about what you're going to say to your Grandmother?"

"Mostly." Theo nodded. "I've been up all night thinking about it."

"Okay." Liam nodded. "Then let's go."

They piled into a van with Stiles and Derek. Boyd, Erica, and a bunch of Theo's PPOs were in the car behind them. Corey and Mason were nowhere to be found, but Liam was pretty sure that they had gone off, and were waiting for instructions. He wasn’t concerned.    


Stiles and Derek were both on their phones, responding to various e-mails, sitting next to each other, but not touching, not speaking. They definitely did not have the look of a newly engaged couple.   
  
At all.

"Are you guys fighting now?" Liam asked, a little nervous that his own life and choices had gotten in the way of what Stiles and Derek had. 

"What? No." Stiles frowned, shaking his head. 

"Why would we be fighting?" Derek asked. 

"Well just...the way Stiles talked to you on the phone..."

"That was business." Derek shrugged.

"Yeah." Stiles nodded. "We're really good at keeping our personal and professional lives separate. That's why it works."   
  
“Except for when you threatened to break up with me after learning that I had known about Theo and Liam all along,” Derek corrected.   
  
“Okay, yeah, that one time I maybe blurred the line a little, but can you blame me? It was kind of very pertinent information to both my life and job.”   
  
Derek said nothing, just shook his head, but there was a hint of a smile ghosting his lips that was different from any expression Liam had ever seen on the man before, and Liam was pretty sure that it was adoration.

"Yeah, but I mean, come on, I get the credit, right?" Liam asked.

"Excuse me?" Stiles looked up from his phone.

"I mean, you two fell in love because of us," he gestured to Theo. "Late nights on the phone, talking about us, falling in love..."

"Oh shut up." Stiles rolled his eyes. "You can go right ahead and remove yourself from our relationship, okay? It has nothing to do with you."

"Oh come on!" Liam argued. 

"Just drop it," Stiles said. "We're trying to figure out what to do about  _ your  _ relationship right now, so maybe just...cuddle up to your Prince and take a chill pill?"

"Point taken." Liam leaned into Theo, whispering in his ear. "They're together because of us."

"Perhaps," Theo said with a smile, slipping his arm around Liam. "But let them have this. They do so much for us."

"Fine." Liam sighed far more heavily than the situation called for, but shut his mouth and leaned against his boyfriend, cuddling into him for the duration of the ride.

When they reached the palace, a woman that Liam barely recognized greeted them, but Theo practically fell apart the moment he saw her, and after studying her more closely, Liam understood why.   
  
The woman was older, but when he looked closely, he recognized that she had the same, kaleidoscope grey eyes that he looked into adoringly, as well as the adorable, rounded nose that he loved so much on Theo.

"Mum?" He dropped Liam's hand and walked over to her. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for you, love," she said, reaching up, putting her hand on Theo's cheek. "I saw the papers, the news, all of the hullabaloo, really. I had no idea, Theodore. I've been living inside of my own grief for so long that I never stopped to think about the war going on inside of you." She straightened up. "It's late, I know, but I'm here to stand by you. Whatever you need"

Theo blinked away the tears in his eyes. "Thank you, mum." He pulled her into a tight embrace, and Liam stepped back. He knew that Constance wasn’t around much at all, and that this was likely a huge moment for his boyfriend. He didn’t want to get in the way, but still, he felt a slight lump rising in his throat as he watched Theo hold her close. She mattered so much to him, and he needed this.    
  
Finally, it seemed, he had someone on his side other than Liam, Derek, and Corey, and he knew how that must feel. After all, Liam had worried about where his own mother would land with this, and knowing that she supported him? That she supported  _ them _ ? It had meant the world to him. He was sure it was, if anything, even more of a relief for Theo to have this. 

"You are very, very welcome, dear. I’m just sorry that I’m so late." Constance said. "Now, are you going to introduce me to this strapping young lad?"

"Oh, right." Theo straightened, smoothing down his shirt, and moving towards Liam. He took Liam’s wrist, gently pulling him forwards. "Mum, this is my boyfriend, Liam."

"Liam." Constance reached out, shaking his hand. "It is so lovely to meet you. Now, what do you say?” She turned to Theo once again. “Shall we go face down your Grandmother?"

"Yes." Theo nodded, standing tall, and taking Liam's hand again, squeezing it. "I think we shall."

Liam had never met the Queen, yet when she entered, he felt her presence just as soon as she walked through the door.    
  
"How easy it is to doctor e-mails and text messages? To turn an innocent friendship into a salacious rumor?" The first words out of her mouth came with a cold, but poised tone, and Liam felt a shiver run down his spine.   
  
She tossed a file folder onto the table with a nonchalance that Liam could tell was faked, and he eyed it, but didn’t dare say anything, or move to take it. This was Theo’s battle, and he was largely here for moral support.

"What are you talking about?" Theo reached for the file, pulling out a statement on Buckingham Palace letterhead. 

"Read it," the Queen stated. 

"No." Theo shook his head, tucking it back into the folder. "I know what it's going to say, and that's a lie. These e-mails weren't faked. They're real, Gran. Very, very real."

"I don't care if they're real or not," she said. "The point is the world doesn’t have to know that. The country, and the rest of the world, will believe what we tell them to."

"What if I  _ want _ the world to know that I’m with Liam, that the e-mails are real?" Theo asked. 

"I don't really care what you want, Theodore," she said. "This,” she reached down, tapping the folder with a bony finger. “This is the statement that we will be releasing."

"It's not the one we’ll be releasing on my end," Liam piped up. Sure, this was Theo’s battle, but it was  _ their  _ war, and he wanted to make his stance known. "Theo doesn't want to cover this up, and neither do I. My mother won't be publishing anything like that. She supports us, and we will be telling the truth."

"Well, that is very foolish of her," the Queen said, her tone still calm. "But you will be putting your name on this statement, Theodore, because you are the Prince of England, and it is your duty to do so."

"I'm sorry, Gran." Theo shook his head. "I can't do that. Or, perhaps it’s more that I won’t do it."

"You'd throw everything away? All for him?" She gestured at Liam. 

"I'd throw it away for what's right. Our country has a terrible history of silencing minorities, my sexuality is hardly the worst thing to come out of this monarchy!"

"Theodore, you will sign that-"

"You will not be telling my son what to do any longer." Constance stood up, facing her mother down. She had a borderline terrifying expression on her face, and frankly, Liam was shocked. "I hid. I let you force him back into his shell, and apparently deep into the closet, and I feel badly enough about that, but I will not be letting you do it again." She stood her ground. "Is that clear?"

"What, then, Constance, do you propose we do?"

"I propose we let the boys handle this. This is their relationship, their e-mails and text messages that went viral. It is their lives, and if they want to be honest, we should let them."

"That's ridiculous. The country will never-"

"If I may?" From the corner, Derek spoke up.    
  
He had a look on his face that Liam couldn’t quite read, and he was standing as straight as possible - if anything, more straight than Liam had ever seen him in his life. From the corner, Stiles was looking at him with wide eyes.

"Mr. Hale, are you _ interrupting _ me?" The Queen sounded furious. 

"Just look." Derek reached for the remote control, turning on a television that was in the corner. 

"All over the world," the Newscaster spoke. "Support is pouring in for Prince Theodore and First Son Liam Dunbar." It showed images of signs and rallies being held in America, in England, France.    
  
There were pictures of a large group of people outside of the White House with all sorts of rainbow and pride flags, and signs with messages of love and support for the relationship.    
  
There were pictures of a very similar group close to Buckingham palace.   
  
There was a photo of two young women standing just outside of the Parisian café where Theo had taken Liam, each holding one end of a large sign that read **THEO AND LIAM WERE HERE** . 

"Oh my god." Liam reached over, squeezing Theo's hand. He had no idea how to feel about this. He had known, of course, that they would have supporters. He had known that there would be some people that would rally behind them, but he had never imagined that it would be like this. Huge groups of people, in multiple countries, all waving banners and signs stating that they were alright with this. That they  _ wanted  _ him and Theo to be together.    
  
He gulped back the lump rising in his throat. Right here, right now, in this meeting with the Queen of fucking England wasn’t the time to cry, but the wave of emotions washing over him right now was strong, and he felt both vulnerable, and newly invigorated.

"No," The Queen shook her head. "Just because a few radicals are open to it doesn't mean the world is ready for someone of your..." she hesitated. "Questionable proclivities."

"Okay, you know what? Stop." Theo stood up, and it seemed that the mountains of support were having a strong impact on him, too. "We can do this one of two ways. You can release a statement with me saying that I am as gay as the day is long, and that Liam is the love of my life. You can allow the palace to recognize Liam as an official suitor to the prince, and shift the narrative to the massive invasion of privacy that the two of us are dealing with right now. You can make us the victims here, two young men, unquestionably in love, who were taken advantage of by some hacker, or you can stand your ground and lie. You can tell them that the e-mails were faked, and the texts doctored, but just know that if you choose to stand your ground, Liam and I will stand ours. We can present a united front, or a divided one, but I will not let you bully me into silence any longer. This is the man that I love. This is the choice that I am making." Theo looked down at Liam, who quickly stood, taking his hand. "This is my hill, Gran, and I am ready to die on it."   
  
There was a look on Theo’s face that Liam had never seen before - one of staunch determination, and seriousness. It was aggressive, in it’s own way, and frankly, Liam wasn’t sure that he would want to be on the receiving end of a look like that.   
  
In that moment, he almost felt bad for the queen.

"I think you'd better listen to him," Constance said with a grin. "He gets that stubborn side from his father, and we all know how it turned out when you tried to keep the two of us apart."

"You are making a mistake, Theodore," the Queen said. 

"Perhaps," Theo said with a shrug. "But if it is a mistake - and I very highly doubt that it is - is it not my mistake to make? This is my life, these are my choices. Well, mine and Liam's."

"I'm with you," Liam said quickly. 

"This is really it? This is what you're going to do? You're going to throw a temper tantrum? Threaten to abdicate if I don't give you what you want?"

"You've still got Tara." Theo shrugged. "You don't need me."

"Think of how bad it would look though, mum," Constance said, a smirk on her face. "If the royal family were to part ways with their beloved prince over something like this?"

"You've black mailed me once, Constance. With that peasant writer of yours. I won't have you do it again with this... _ American _ ."

"Oh." Constance nodded. "Well then, perhaps I'll have to try a different tactic." She stood. "You're getting old, mother. I'm pushing 60, and you're even older. You're starting to forget things, you're starting to lose effectiveness. I could bring all of my concerns with your mental decline before parliament..."

"You wouldn't." The queen looked angrily at her. 

"I would." Constance stared her down. "If you continue to harm my son, to bully him, you have no idea the hell I will rain down on you. I have been absent for too long. I have a lot of parenting to make up for, and I am perfectly willing to put all of my eggs in this particular basket, if it is what Theo wants."

The Queen stared at her daughter for a moment, then at her grandson, and finally sighed. 

"Fine." She gulped. "We will release a joint statement with the White House declaring Liam an official suitor of Prince Theodore." She spoke through gritted teeth, but it was clear to everyone present that she had been backed into a corner. 

"You are very much like your mother," Liam said, butting his forehead against Theo's shoulder. 

"Yes," Theo smiled, though he was shaking, and Liam could feel the hard resolve beginning to crack just a bit as it became clear that they had won their fight. "I'm starting to think that, perhaps, I am."

"We're doing this?" Liam asked with a smile. 

"Yes, my love." Theo kissed the top of his head. "We are very much doing this."


	31. Chapter Thirty-One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam and Theo wake to a new world, one that knows of their relationship. Their lives are forever changed, but that doesn't mean they've stopped. Team Dunbar works to find out who outed Liam (and Theo), and as the election draws nearer, Liam leans on the man that he loves to quell his rising anxieties.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fgfhsdgsreksdf I can't believe there is only one more posting after this! This has been so much fun for me to write, and for me to post! The last bit goes up sometime tomorrow, and I really, really hope it's worth it for y'all.
> 
> Also, I have created a series, and added this story to it - the Paper Moon Universe, so if you want, you can subscribe to that, and be alerted to all future Paper Moon-verse oneshots/stories, etc!
> 
> Annnnd the standard note - I am curious to know what things/scenes/moments that have NOT shown up in the story you would like to read! I plan to write some Paper Moon-verse oneshots when I'm finished posting the story, and I'm curious to know what y'all want to know more about! You can leave them in comments, hit me up on tumblr - purplehoodiesandleatherjackets.tumblr.com, or the fastest way to reach me for conversation is discord, where my handle is: PurpleHoodies#4940.

**FIRST SON AND PRINCE CONFIRM THEIR RELATIONSHIP**

**JOINT STATEMENT ISSUED BY BUCKINGHAM PALACE AND THE WHITE HOUSE DECLARE PRINCE THEODORE AND FIRST SON LIAM DUNBAR AN OFFICIAL COUPLE**

**ROYAL FAMILY OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZES LIAM DUNBAR AS SUITOR OF PRINCE THEODORE**

**FIRSTPRINCE - YOUR OFFICIAL GUIDE TO LIAM AND THEO'S DELECTABLE RELATIONSHIP**

**THIAM: A LOVE FOR THE AGES** **  
** **  
** **HISTORY IN THE MAKING: PRINCE THEODORE PUBLICLY DECLARES LOVE FOR AMERICA’S FIRST SON**

"Wow." Liam gulped, looking up at his mother as he sat across from her in the office, looking over a stack of headlines. "I can't believe..."

"People are all in on the two of you," she said softly. "You and Theo...you've done the right thing. This is proof."

"I mean, I knew it was, but _wow_."

It was just like Mason said. The support was there, you just had to know where to look, and people were making it very easy to find it. There had been banners printed, and shirts made. There were countless articles, blog posts, youtube videos, news stories, tweets, TikToks, Instagram posts, all speaking out in support of Theo and Liam.

Liam's personal favorite was a shirt that Mason had shown up in earlier that morning. It was black, and in a white script, it read **Mon Trésor** . in a delicate cursive, followed by the word **BABE**. in clunkier block lettering. It fit who they were perfectly, and Liam loved it. 

"I'm so proud of you, Liam," Jenna said with a smile. 

"Thank you," Liam said. "For backing me. For backing Theo. This is really important to me - to us, and I'm just very relieved that you're here in our corner. That you're able and willing to hear me and support me. I'm so incredibly lucky."

"Oh, sweetheart," she said with a smile. "You are the best son that I could possibly have asked for. And we'll find out who did this, alright?"

"Actually..." Stiles walked into the room. "I'm not sure we have to look any further."

"What do you mean?" Mason frowned. 

"Here." Stiles went to Jenna's computer and typed in a web address, pulling up a live stream of a press conference. 

Congressman Scott McCall was at a podium, speaking into several microphones. 

"What Senator Argent has done here is not only unconscionable, but against the law and unconstitutional," Scott said. "He illegally tapped into Liam Dunbar's personal devices, hoarding information about him for months, waiting until he could use it against him. If you want proof, I have sent all that you could possibly need to the FBI, who I believe will look into this fully, and trust me, you will find what I have found proof enough. I will be severing all ties with the Argent campaign, and will not be taking questions at this time. I stand in support of Liam and Prince Theodore, and I wish them nothing but the best." Scott looked directly into the camera. "I owe the Dunbar family a lot, and I am glad to see them putting their best foot forwards right now. I wish Liam and his prince the love story they deserve." 

The conference split into a bunch of people asking for statements as Scott left the podium, but true to his word, he answered none of them. 

"Oh my god." Liam grinned, pumping his fist into the air. "I knew he wasn't evil!" He stood up. "I'm sorry mom, Stiles, but I have to go."

"Of course." Jenna nodded. "Take Boyd and Erica with you!" she called. 

"Yup." Liam nodded. 

He grabbed his secret service agents and headed straight for McCall's office, hoping that he would be there, following his press conference.  
  
After all, he had to talk to the guy. It had been way too long.

"I knew it!" Liam was grinning as he burst into Scott's office. "I knew you weren't an evil prick!"

"I am so sorry, Liam." Scott stood, moving behind Liam and closing the door. "I met Allison a little while ago, and we've been talking for a long time, it’s complicated."

"Just talking, eh?" Liam waggled his eyebrows.

"It grew into more. That's not the point. The point was, she wanted to bring her grandfather down, but she didn't think that she could do it by herself. We thought if we took our relationship public, and I joined his campaign under the guise of trying to move him to the left a little, well, he'd go for it because it would help with the minority vote, and I'd be able to get access to things that I needed to prove illegal activities and all of the horrible things that he was doing behind the scenes. He's smart enough to get away with a lot, but Allison and I?" He smiled. "We're smarter. I just wanted to get close enough to pull back the curtain and show the world what I already knew was true.”

"He outed me." Liam stated. 

"I am so sorry, I tried to stop it before it got to that, I thought that I had better control over the situation, and I was wrong. I didn’t tell him about you, or about Theo, I promise, Liam, but...I knew that he had gotten the information independently, I just thought that I would be able to get him before he used it. I overplayed my hand a little, I thought I was closer to his inner circle than I was. This is my fault, and I-"

"Scott," Liam said. "It's okay. I mean, it's not great, but it's...I know that you didn’t tell him, and you still did the right thing, alright? We can't always know how something is going to turn out, and I'm glad...I'm glad that you put your foot down. I'm glad that you were there, because if you hadn't been, we might never have known it was him. He may well have gotten away with this." Liam paused, chewing at the inside of his cheek. “I mean, whether you had been there or not, he still would have gotten this information. He still would have hacked into our e-mails and texts. He still would have outed me. With you in there, at least we know it was him. At least the world knows that, and the country can see the kind of man he really is, what kind of politician.”

"It won't kill his campaign, not entirely" Scott said. "But it's not gonna help him win."

"I know." Liam nodded. "That's all that I can ask for right now. So thank you for that, Scott. And thank you for not being an asshole. You really had me worried there for a while, you had us all worried."

"I know." Scott nodded. "But you had to believe it. Everyone did."

"I understand that now." 

"Do you?" Scott asked. 

"I do. I won’t say that it was fun or easy for me to deal with, but I understand why you did it, and ultimately, I think it was the right thing. It definitely ended up doing good for our campaign, and...I would have been outed by that fucker regardless, so." Liam gulped. “It’s hard. It’s been hard, I’m not gonna pretend that it’s not, but I understand.”

"So we're okay?"

"Maybe." Liam shrugged. "If you go on John Oliver and explain the piece of policy you ghost wrote for my mom on the youth vote in underprivileged communities."

"I can do that." Scott said, a smile slowly appearing on his face. 

"Alright." Liam nodded, his own smile matching Scott’s. "Then we're good."  
  
***

The next couple of weeks were a blur, but in the best possible way.  
  
Things finally felt like they were on the right path again. He and Theo were together, and finally able to be in the same space without having to constantly look over their shoulders and make sure no one could see them. They were doing something of a "damage control tour" to quote Stiles, going to key landmarks in both of their countries and giving speeches about how they were together, and had been for a while, but that they were still very focused on their people, and on their respective countries. Liam talked about his mother's candidacy, and Theo talked about how the crown was growing and changing, and it was a lot of work, both physically and emotionally, but at the end of the day, both of them fell asleep together, curled up in the same hotel bed, without having to worry about who was sneaking out in the morning.  
  
That alone, Liam was pretty sure, made everything worth it.  
  
***

"God, this feels so weird." Liam shifted, tugging at the collar of the turtleneck sweater that the royal family stylist had practically forced him into.

"You're an official suitor," Theo stated. "We have to pose for an official portrait so that it can be flashed all over the country…” he wrinkled his nose. “And plastered upon souvenir mugs and bags and God knows what else…”

"Yeah, but this feels like garbage. Come on, you and I, standing all straight edged and not touching in front of a painting of some old white guy I couldn't even name? Come on. That's ridiculous."

"You're not wrong," Theo sighed.

"Also, I feel like an idiot in this sweater," Liam stated, tugging at the neck of it again. “It’s like the fabric is trying to murder me for crimes I don’t even know I’ve committed.”

"You look like an idiot in that sweater."

"Oh god." Liam paled. "Do I really?!"

"I mean..." Theo shrugged. "I don't know, it's not really your look!"

"Just a bit to the left, Liam!" The photographer called. 

"This is stupid," Theo sighed, raising a hand to the photographer, a gesture for him to stop for a moment. "Wait, wait, this...can we try something else please? This isn't working? Liam is uncomfortable, and I feel like a cardboard cut out."

"Well what do you have in mind, then?" The Queen asked, her tone bitter, terse. 

"First off," Theo said. "Let Liam wear his own damned clothes, and maybe we can try this again? In Hyde Park? On a bench? It just feels more...us, and this is to be _our_ royal portrait after all."

"Fine." The Queen sounded defeated, and it was clear that, in the weeks following their coming out, Theo's mother had done quite a number on her.  
  
Constance hadn’t gone away after their meeting, and she had practically placed herself between Theo and the Queen, taking on her mother every time the woman tried to interfere with Theo’s handling of his relationship with Liam.  
  
Liam was pleased. He could tell that it meant that world to Theo to have his mother back, and on his side, and all that Liam wanted was for the man that he loved to be happy. Constance’s efforts in their favor helped with that, and frankly, Liam wasn’t entirely sure the woman wasn’t gunning for the Queen’s crown.  
  
Hopefully, she would get it sooner rather than later, and be able to make some real differences.

"Alright, we'll go up to my room for a bit, and regroup in maybe half an hour," Theo declared. 

"You know," Liam smiled, practically ripping the sweater off over his head the second they were back in Theo's room. "I don't hate this authoritative side of you..."

"Oh no?" Theo grinned. "I never thought you did, but I regret to admit that we haven't got time for that now. Let's get this photo taken, and then I'm all yours all night. I'll do whatever I like with you."

"I brought handcuffs," Liam grinned. 

"You devil."

"You love it."

"Put this on." Theo looked up from where he had been rooting through Liam's suitcase, tossing him a blue button up.

"Oh, so you're gonna choose what I wear now?" Liam asked, tilting his head to the side. 

"You look good in blue," Theo said. 

"Fine." Liam grinned, going to Theo's closet. He pulled out the pale pink, short sleeve button up that Theo had worn to Liam's graduation luncheon. "Then you wear this."

"It's entirely too casual."

"It's _you_ ," Liam said. "And besides, you look good in pink."

"Gran will throw a fit."

"Let her." Liam leaned in, his shirt still half unbuttoned as he kissed Theo. “In fact, I like it better knowing that it will make her apoplectic with rage.”

"You are an absolute whirling dervish of destruction," Theo said as they pulled away. "You have wreaked absolute havoc on every single aspect of my life, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

The Prince got to work removing his formal jacket, replacing it with the pink button up. Liam smiled, and leaned in, fixing Theo's hair just a little. 

"There," he said. "You look perfect."

"As do you."

"You look preposterous," The Queen said as they met her at the door.

"No," Constance shook her head, beaming at the pair of them. "I think they look charming!"

"This is us," Theo said with a shrug, putting his arm around Liam. "I already know you don't like it, so let's just carry on with the photos?"

That seemed to do the trick, and soon, they were on a park bench, sitting next to each other, feeling a lot more comfortable. Theo's arm was around Liam, and Liam leaned into Theo's chest.

They posed for what felt like hours, but it was better, easier to breathe in clothes that felt like his, and it was a lot easier to feel like they were being done justice as a couple when he was actually allowed to touch Theo. He liked being close to the other man, and the idea of having to stay separate, it wasn't good at all. This? Cuddled up on a bench in Hyde Park, with the man of his dreams felt a lot better.  
  
***

"Is it bad?" Liam asked that night as they lay together in bed, fucked out, but neither one ready to go to sleep. "That a part of me is insanely glad that the world knows you're mine? There's this horrible little part of me that is like...you are the most desired man on the planet, but you're all mine, and now everyone knows that. I like it.”

"You are a heathen," Theo said, tugging gently at Liam's hair. 

"Yeah, I thought you were gonna say something like that." He shrugged. "But my point still stands - I mean, I'm glad the world knows. I like being able to show you off, to say that you're mine, and to have them understand that."

"I like it, too," Theo admitted with a smile. "I've been carrying this weight around with me for a very, very long time, and to finally have it lifted off of my shoulders...it's scary, but it feels so good. You're mine now, and I'm yours, and we don't have to pretend to be anything other than completely and totally in love with each other."

"We've come so far," Liam said, smiling as he leaned in, pressing his lips to Theo's collarbone. "There are still so many uphill battles that we will have to fight, but we've made it this far together. We'll make it further."

"You know how we used to say that this doesn't work? That _we_ don't work?" Theo said. "No matter how you roll the dice, we don't make it as a couple?"

"Mmm." Liam wrinkled his nose. "Vaguely."

"We were wrong." Theo put his arm around Liam, drawing him in closer. "We were young, and stupid, and very, very wrong."

"Well," Liam dropped a soft kiss on Theo's jaw. "I can't say that I have ever been more happy to have been wrong in my life."

"No, nor I." Theo smiled and leaned in, pressing his lips against Liam's. "You're my knight in shining armor."

"You're my prince." Liam gazed at him with adoring eyes. "Who would have ever thought? Me with a prince? Oh god, if we get married am I gonna be a prince?"

"No." Theo shook his head. "You'll be a consort or...oh god." He gulped. 

"What?"

"A Duke."

"Duke of Buckingham?!" Liam teased, his eyes going wide as he remembered their previous conversation regarding Dukedom. 

"I mean, probably not, but possibly..."

"I KNEW IT!" Liam rolled over on top of Theo, grinning down at him. "I'm gonna be a duke!"

"Yes, possibly. If we wed." Theo laughed up at him. 

"Oh please, we've taken this whole thing too far not to get married, and you know that."

"Yes." Theo gazed up at him. "Yes, I suppose I do."

"I mean, you gave me a ring, I gave you a ring..."

"Those don't count."

"Like hell they don't!" Liam reached down, pinning Theo's wrists to the mattress. "I'm gonna be a _Duke_!"

"Yes," Theo smiled up at him. "Yes, I suppose you are, and as a result of that, I fully expect you to learn what exactly it is a Duke does."

"I will." Liam grinned. "But for right now..." He leaned back down, capturing Theo's lips in a deep kiss. "I think I'm just going to enjoy my time with my prince."

Theo didn't say anything else. He broke free of Liam's grip, and put his arms around the other man's waist, pulling him in to a long, deep kiss. 

"I love you very, very much, mon trésor," he said. He reached up, carding a hand through Liam's dark hair. 

"I love you just as much, babe."

"And that's that?" Theo asked, tilting his head to the side. 

"Mhmm." Liam nodded. "That's that." He flopped back down on top of Theo, kissing him like his life depended on it, and it truly felt, some days, as though it did.  
  
***

**I'm not sure if I should be telling you this, but despite my better judgement, here goes. They have printed our official royal portrait on chocolate bars. See image attached.**

**_OH MY GOD I AM CANDY! I mean I always knew I was a snack, but now it’s OFFICIAL!_ **

**I knew this was an error in judgement...**

**_YOU HAVE TO SAVE ME LIKE A BUNCH OF THEM! I want to give them to everyone I know for Christmas._ **

**I beg, on behalf of everyone you know, that you not do that.**

**_Oh come on, it's so great! We're on a chocolate bar!_ **

**Shouldn't you be focusing on your mother's campaign?**

**_No. I should be focusing on the fact that my face is on a chocolate bar. With the man that I love. This is it. This is my best moment. I’ve peaked._ **

**I love you too, completely in spite of myself, it seems.**

**_Eh, get over it. You're stuck with me._ **

**Also against my better judgement...**

**_You ass. Speaking of, you're still coming, tonight right? To California for election night?_ **

**Of course. I would never leave you to your own devices with something so important.**

**_Have I mentioned lately that I love you?_ **

**Yes, I think you have.**

**_Have I mentioned that I completely and utterly adore you, and am obsessed with every inch of you?_ **

**You are going to be the death of me.**

**_Hopefully not for a very long time._ **

**I have to go catch my flight, but I'll see you tonight, my love.**

**_See you soon. Very soon, hopefully. I feel like I am going to lose my goddamn mind. This is so fucking stressful._ **

**I will be there as soon as I can. Try and hold it together. I love you, you have done everything that you can, and you are incredible. I love you.** **  
** **  
** **_I love you, too._ **

Liam set his phone down, and finished tying his tie. This was, hands down, one of the biggest days, if not the biggest, of his life, and he was downright terrified. The polls were neck and neck between his mother and Argent, and early returns were still too close to call. 

He knew that Theo had reached out to him with the chocolate bar thing because the prince knew that it would calm him down, and he loved his partner for that. He couldn't wait for Theo to be there. He was sure that he would feel much better, much more calm, with the man that he loved by his side, and in a way, he was glad that their secret had come out before this. Liam didn’t know how he would have managed this night, this stress, if he wasn’t allowed to crumble into Theo’s arms the moment he saw him.

Liam wasn't sure how to explain it, but the whole day felt simultaneously like a blur, and as though it were moving in slow motion.

It was stressful. As day turned to night, and polls began to close, it got worse. One by one, each state returns came in, and it was an even split. Dunbar got one, then Argent, they were trading electoral votes right now, and Liam felt like he was going to have a panic attack.  
  
Or several.

Had it been like this the first time around? He couldn't remember this feeling of urgency. Maybe it was because his mother's campaign had been such a long shot last time, no one had actually been _expecting_ her to win, but she had. They had been the underdog the first time around, but now? Now his mother was the incumbent, she had been leading the country for four years, and he was apprehensive, excited, for four more, but he knew that there was a strong chance those four more wouldn't be coming.  
  
It felt like there was a lot at stake, more than just losing, because losing meant Gerard Argent taking over, and Liam didn’t think that he would be able to stomach that. He hated the man for outing him, yes, but he was more afraid of the regressive hell he would bring to the country than anything else. There was still so much progress that America needed to make, and they couldn’t do any of that with someone like Gerard, who wanted strip all progressivism from the country.

God, he wished that Theo had been able to leave England earlier. He checked his phone constantly, waiting for news that Theo had touched down, but nothing was coming in. The night grew longer, and finally, all of the polls were closed. It was all a matter of counting from here on out, and he was nervous. 

"Can you say something to them, sweetheart?" Jenna asked. 

"What?"

"The crowd. They're growing restless, I think we're in for a very long night, and I've already said everything that I can. You’ve been such an asset this campaign, you’ve been very inspiring to a lot of our voters. Please, just take a few minutes, jot something down? Go encourage them?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess I can do my best...yes, of course."

"Alright, just go sit down, write down some thoughts, but whatever you say, I'm sure it will be wonderful." She leaned down, squeezing his shoulder. 

Liam walked over to a desk and pulled up his phone. He opened the notes app and began to write down key points for what he wanted to say. 

"Excuse me, I was told this was where the party was?"

"Oh thank god, you're here." Liam stood up, launching himself at his boyfriend. He squeezed him tight, as though he were clinging to a lifeline, and feeling Theo’s strong arms around him made every anxiety feel just a little bit better.

"Yes, I’m sorry it took me so long. There was some weather, but I’m here now. How are you? How are things?"

"It's close," he said. "It’s way too fucking close. It's going to come down to the wire, my mom wants me to go out and say something to the crowd..."

"You sound hesitant," Theo said, reaching out, straightening Liam's tie. "Why?"

"I don't know." Liam gulped. "What if they don't want to hear from me? What if I say the wrong thing?"

"You won't." Theo leaned down, kissing him softly. "You are Liam Dunbar, First Son of the United States. You are Liam Dunbar, the man that I love. You have rallied so many people behind you, and you can do it again. I understand that you're nervous, but I will be there, waiting in the wings, encouraging you."

"Yeah?" Liam asked. 

"Yes. Now get out there, and make me proud to call you my boyfriend."

"I will." Liam smiled. He leaned in, kissing Theo softly, and took his notes with him.

He felt his heart hammering against his chest. He had made speeches before, in front of hundreds of people, thousands, even, but this felt different. There was something about this that felt very final, and he was afraid to say the wrong thing. 

He walked past Mason and Corey, who were sitting together in one arm chair, each on their own devices, watching the returns come back, but pressed flush against each other, attached and in love, even without having to speak it.  
  
He walked past his mother and step father, both looking at the same computer screen, taking in more information. David’s arm was on Jenna’s shoulder as he leaned around her, providing her a subtle comfort and support.

He walked past Stiles and Derek, greeting each other with a quick kiss before Stiles instantly back into the returns. Derek moved behind the chair Stiles sat in, and put his hands to Stiles’ shoulders, gentle massaging them as Stiles worked.  
  
He walked past Boyd, and later Erica, both poised in their professional duties, determined to protect him, and the people that he loved, all the while loving each other at the same time.  
  
He walked past Scott and Allison, both looking focused as they worked on a joint statement to satiate the waiting public. Since leaving the Argent campaign, Scott and Allison had been campaigning hard for Jenna, and it felt good to see them both here, down to the wire, with the rest of them.

He reached out, taking Theo's hand as he walked towards the stage set out for any speeches of the night. Various people had taken the mic since this election party had begun, but he couldn't help the nerves welling inside of him as he stepped out there. 

These were the people that mattered. These were the people that he loved, and who loved him, and that overwhelmed every anxiety in him with the sheer weight of how lucky he was to have them all in his life.  
  
"You've got this," Theo whispered in his ear before breaking off to the side. 

Liam nodded, and took a deep breath, taking the stage. 

"Hi, everybody. I know we're all getting a little restless, but I'm here to talk to you about hope." 

His eyes scanned the crowd. Somewhere near the front, he saw Brett, his arm around the shoulder of a cute brunette. He caught Liam's eye, and shot him a smile and a wink, and it was nice to know, that after everything, Brett still supported Liam, and his family.  
  
There was a sea of people out there, wearing _Dunbar for President_ shirts, some wearing shirts with quotes from the FirstPrince Letters, as their e-mails and texts were being called.

Liam had a solid group of people behind him, the world ahead of him, and Theo by his side. 

No matter what came next, he could handle it, not by himself, but with everyone in his corner. 

He smiled at the crowd, blew a kiss to the wings where Theo was waiting for him, and opened his mouth to finish his speech. 

This was a defining moment in his life, and he wasn't going to let his people down. 

He wasn’t going to let himself down.


	32. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam and Theo face the results of the election, and look towards their future together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this is the Epilogue, and I want to thank everyone who's read to this point so, so much. I would appreciate it, if you finished the story, to let me know what you thought of it! 
> 
> I also finally got around to curating the playlist that I used to write this story, so here is the link to that: [Paper Moon Playlist](https://purplehoodiesandleatherjackets.tumblr.com/post/626023802970718208/this-is-the-playlist-that-i-made-while-writing-my)
> 
> As I mentioned in the last chapter, I made a series to put other stories, mostly oneshots and whatnot that fit into the Paper Moon Universe, so if you're interested, you can subscribe to that [here!](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1870912)
> 
> As for what those oneshots and continuations will be... I am curious to know what things/scenes/moments that have NOT shown up in the story you would like to read! I plan to write some Paper Moon-verse oneshots when I'm finished posting the story, and I'm curious to know what y'all want to know more about! You can leave them in comments, hit me up on [Tumblr](https://purplehoodiesandleatherjackets.tumblr.com/), or the fastest way to reach me for conversation is discord, where my handle is: PurpleHoodies#4940.
> 
> You are also welcome to reach out on Discord or Tumblr just to say hi!
> 
> Writing this story was so much fun, and has meant so, so much to me, as have all of you reading, and leaving comments. It's been a rough few months, and this has made me feel a lot better, so having it end is bittersweet, but I really do hope that you like the ending, and I hope that you feel inspired to check out the book that it is based off of, Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston!

"Is this going to be a thing?" Theo asked. "Sneaking out of major places when we aren’t supposed to? There are a million people who want to hear from you right now, Liam. Your mother just won the election, you should be back there, with everyone else.”

"I don't care," Liam said, slipping out the back door of the hotel where they were having the election party. "I just want to be with you."

"Well,” Theo said after a moment of thought. “I find it incredibly difficult to argue with that…”

Theo smiled, following him as they snuck out. He had shot Brett a text, asking the man to meet him, and was smiling as he and his boyfriend showed up.    
  
“Liam,” Brett said with a smile. “This is Nolan, Nolan, this is-”   
  
“I know.” Nolan grinned. “Congratulations. My whole family has been phone banking and canvassing for your mom for months.”   
  
“Oh.” Liam was surprised by that. “Thank you so much.”   
  
“Yeah, I mean, of course.” Nolan leaned back into Brett, and it was shocking to Liam how well they seemed to fit together.    
  
“You...said you had bikes?”   
  
“Yeah, we biked here,” Brett said. “And if you return them with so much as a scratch-”   
  
“They’ll be in perfect condition,” Liam said hurriedly.    
  
“Alright, this way.” Brett rolled his eyes, but he was smiling as he led Theo and Liam to a bike rack. He unlocked his bike and Nolan’s, and passed them over to Theo and Liam.    
  
“Thank you,” Liam said. “I owe you.”   
  
“You really do,” Brett chuckled.   
  
“Babe,” Nolan said, nudging him.   
  
“Yup, congratulations, Liam,” Brett said, slinging an arm around Nolan and walking away from the pair of them.

"Come on, follow me." He got one of the bikes, and took off pedaling down the dark, North Californian street, and Theo, surprised, climbed onto the other bike and pedaled after him. 

"Where are we?" Theo asked, tilting his head to the side almost 45 minutes later as he watched Liam pull over. 

Liam dismounted, and set his bike down against a tree on the parking strip, looking up at a small, single story house. 

"This is where I grew up," he said. 

"Oh." Theo dismounted as well, putting his arm around Liam. 

"It's two bedrooms, one story," he said softly. "This was my first home, this is where I started out. I was just a scared kid, with a brilliant mom, and a father who didn't give two shits about him, and look at where I am now?" He turned, looking at Theo. 

"You're on top of the world, Liam," Theo said with a smile.

"I just...I wanted to show you this place, this part of my life that no one sees, because I want you to see every part of my life. I want you to know everything about me, Theo."

"I want that, too," Theo replied. 

"I want you with me. When I'm out of the White House, when I'm finding my first apartment-"

"I was actually thinking about that," Theo said softly. "And I've sort of...done something..."

"What?" Liam looked up at him. 

"I've bought a townhouse in New York. I'm planning to move to the city soon, to take over leading Corey's non-profit, and I was wondering if perhaps you would consider living there. With me."

"Are you crazy?" Liam asked. "You're moving to America?"

"Not forever," Theo said. "But for now, yes. I want to give myself a chance to learn who I am outside of the palace. I want to work a job that matters to me, to really get my hands a bit dirty, and learn about the world first hand. And...I want to live in a home that's mine, and hopefully yours."

"Yes." Liam smiled. "Of course I will come live with you." He kissed Theo long and deep. 

"This is going to be a good year," Theo said, kissing the top of Liam's head as he held him close. 

"It's going to be a good  _ life _ ," Liam corrected. "Maybe not an easy one, but with you? It will be good."

"I love you, mon trésor," Theo said softly. 

"I love you too, babe."

Liam leaned back in Theo's arms, resting his head against his shoulder as he took in his childhood home before him. That was his past, and he stood beside his future, feeling like nothing, even the bad things, would ever touch him again. Not fully. 

"There's a lot we still have to fight for, you know," Liam said. 

"I know." Theo nodded. "But tonight, it's you, and me, and we're going to make it."

"Yeah." Liam smiled, pressing his lips to Theo's shoulder through the fabric of his shirt. "Yes, we are."

This was not the life that Liam had ever planned for himself, but as he stood there in Theo's arms, the cool, Northern California breeze washing over him, he could no longer imagine any other path.  
  
Tomorrow, the world would be crazy again, there would be two million things that he would have to do, five thousand statements that he would have to make to papers, to blogs, to reporters, but tonight, it was just him, and the man he loved, and Liam Dunbar was happy.

**THE END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say once again how grateful I am to everyone who read, everyone who made fanart, anyone who helped me edit, or provide translations, or research. I've never written anything like this before, and I am so glad to have been able to do it!


End file.
